Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 29
- Location
- New York
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers using a Dangerous Weapon; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; 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
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
The FBI National Threat Operations Center was contacted by an anonymous complainant who identified James Mault as having been at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court documents. Mault was described as wearing a hard hat with stickers, including one of the Ironworkers Local 33, a union in Rochester, N.Y. According to the FBI, on Jan. 18, 2021, special agents interviewed Mault’s mother, who told them that her husband drove maybe five people, including her son, to attend the protests in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Agents were also able to interview James Mault, who admitted to having attended the rally in D.C. and explained that he was wearing a hard hat from work because he was afraid that Antifa would attack Trump supporters and he needed the hat for protection, court documents indicate. He also allegedly told agents that he was pushed with the crowd toward the building entrance but denied having participated in any acts of violence. However, footage allegedly shows Mault spraying law enforcement with a chemical agent at the entrance to the main tunnel on the Western side of the Capitol, which was the scene of one of the most intense battles between the rioters and law enforcement. Mault was charged alongside his friend Cody Mattice, who also allegedly used pepper spray against Capitol police officers. According to sentencing memos filed in federal court, Mault served in the U.S. Army until 2016 and the NY National Guard until 2020. In May, 2021, Mault reenlisted in the Army.
Case History
Mault pleaded Guilty to one charge: Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced 7/15/2022 to 44 months incarceration; 36 months of supervised release; $2,000 in restitution. Mault 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.