Kenneth Joseph Owen Thomas

Case Summary

Federal prosecutors say that Kenneth Joseph Owen Thomas also goes by the alias "Pi Annon" (sometimes spelled "Pi Anon") and that he traveled to Washington, D.C., from Alabama late on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, along with a "caravan of approximately 60 vehicles." Thomas appeared in a video addressing the caravan, prosecutors say, in which he stated, “We all are meeting at the Ellipse to listen to Mike Lindell and President Trump speak. After that, we’re all going to march together down to the [U.S.] Capitol to listen to Michael Flynn and the events going on down there. ... See you in D.C.” (Lindell is a supporter of former President Donald Trump and the founder and CEO of the company MyPillow, and Flynn briefly served as national security adviser in the Trump White House. Both men have spread conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election.) On Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors allege, Thomas posted a video in which he stated, “Right now, we got a whole [list] of people going to storm the Capitol.” Later, he can allegedly be seen in police body camera footage pushing and striking police officers outside the Capitol and telling the crowd to "hold the line" against law enforcement. After Jan. 6, 2021, the FBI received multiple tips identifying Thomas and his social media accounts, according to court papers, including evidence submitted by the online group of civilians known as Sedition Hunters. A review of the social media accounts identified in court papers reveals multiple posts indicating support for QAnon, the pro-Trump conspiracy theory. Thomas was arrested in Birmingham, Ala., on May 26, 2021. According to sentencing memos filed in court, Thomas served in the U.S. Navy.

Case History

Thomas pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Jury trial on 6/1/2023 found him Guilty on seven counts: Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers (4 counts); Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds. Not Guilty on three counts: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings. Noo consensus on the two remaining counts which were dismissed. Sentenced on 11/16/2023 to 58 months of incarceration; 36 months of supervised release; $550 special assessment; $2,000 restitution; $20,000 fine. Thomas 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.