Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 39
- Location
- Glendale, Arizona
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers; Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Federal prosecutors allege that James McGrew was identified from video and photographs of the attack on the U.S. Capitol — in particular, from a police body camera video that shows him lifting his shirt to wipe his eyes. The gesture allowed investigators to spot a prominent stomach tattoo reading "KING JAMES" in elaborate Gothic letters that curved over his belly button. The tattoo appears to match one in an old police booking photo from 2012. Photos and police footage show McGrew both inside and outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, including inside the rotunda, where he confronted police officers "aggressively" and yelled, "We're coming in here whether you like it or not." When law enforcement endeavored to push rioters toward an exit, court documents allege that McGrew responded by "lunging forward" to strike an officer. McGrew backed up a bit after that but returned to approach the officers again, screaming, "You leave. You leave. This is our house." As police tried again to move the crowd toward the door, McGrew reached out to strike another officer and then grabbed for his baton. A tipster who contacted law enforcement a day after the riot said that McGrew had planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to "protest" the "stolen vote." According to a sentencing memorandum filed by the government in federal court, McGrew served as a U.S. Marine in Iraq.
Case History
McGrew pleaded Guilty to Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on 1/20/2023 to 78 months incarceration; 36 months supervised release; $100 special assessment; $2,000 restitution; $5,000 fine. McGrew received a full pardon on January 20, 2025
Sources
- Primary Documentation
NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR - Primary Documentation
Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR - Supporting Reporting
NPR video evidence pageNPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.