Joseph Kerry Hicks

Case Summary

Joseph Kerry Hicks was identified by federal authorities as having been inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when his Google account showed up in a search warrant as having been in the area that day. In June of that year, the FBI interviewed Hicks, who admitted to entering the building and said it was an "error in judgment," court records indicate. In surveillance footage from inside the building, Hicks can allegedly be seen carrying a flag emblazoned with a skull and the phrase "III%," a reference to the Three Percenters, a far-right militia group, though the FBI has not confirmed any ties between Hicks and the group. Later, Hicks can be seen in multiple videos pushing into police officers, prosecutors allege. According to sentencing memos filed in court, Hicks served in the U.S. Air Force.

Case History

Hicks pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty on two charges in a Bench trial verdict on 6/27/2024: Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. Found Not Guilty on the other three charges. Sentenced on 10/1/2024 to 24 months of Probation; Special Assessment of $20; 100 hours of community service. Hicks 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.