Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 50
- Location
- Windermere, Florida
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Theft of Government Property and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Federal prosecutors allege that John Edward Crowley is part of a Florida-based militia group known as the “B Squad” - an apparent reference to an “alternate plan” in the case that former President Donald Trump could not remain in power. The “B Squad,” court documents state, adheres to the anti-government pro-militia ideology of the Three Percenters. In December 2020, members of the “B Squad” allegedly distributed a message about the upcoming protest on Jan. 6, 2021 stating that a Three Percenter group was “responding to the call from President Donald J. Trump to assist in the security, protection, and support of the people as we all protest the fraudulent election and re-establish liberty for our nation.” A leader of the “B Squad,” identified in court documents only as “B Leader,” then coordinated travel and booked a block of rooms at a hotel in Washington, D.C, and encouraged group members to bring “defensive tools,” including knives, a taser, pepper spray, and a metal baton. On Jan. 6, 2021, Crowley allegedly joined with other members of the “B Squad” in confronting police guarding the tunnel on the western side of the U.S. Capitol. Prosecutors say the group tried to push the police line with a “heave-ho” effort that allowed rioters deeper into the tunnel before they were eventually repelled.
Case History
Crowley pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. In a Bench trial on 10/18/2023, found Guilty on four counts; and Not Guilty on two counts: Theft and Engaging in Physical Violence. Sentenced on 2/23/2024 to 8 Months of Incarceration; 36 Months of Supervised Release; 6 Months of Home Incarceration; Special Assessment of $160; Fine in the amount of $7,000. Crowley 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
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.