Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Location
- Davis, West Virginia
- Charges
- Civil Disorder
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
The FBI found their first trace of John Thomas Gordon because of his head tattoos, court documents show. Investigators say they matched pictures of an individual at the U.S. Capitol to social media images from a tattoo shop in West Virginia. Then in March of 2021, prosecutors say a tipster identified Gordon and said he lives in Davis, W.Va. Court documents indicate Gordon has prior felony convictions related to drugs and firearms. An ex-romantic partner and the local county sheriff both confirmed to investigators that Gordon is pictured in photos from the Capitol on the day of the riot. Gordon allegedly told his former partner that he kicked the doors of the Capitol and threw a weighted ball at the doors - actions the FBI says they matched to videos found online. Gordon was arrested in July of 2022.
Case History
Gordon pleaded Guilty to Civil Disorder. Sentenced on 3/13/2023 to 6 months of incarceration; 24 months of supervised release; 180 days of home confinement; Special Assessment of $100; Restitution of $2,000. Gordon 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.