Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 70
- Location
- Falkville, Alabama
- Charges
- Possession of an Unregistered Firearm [11 Molotov cocktails]; Carrying a Pistol Without a License (outside home or place of business) [9mm Smith & Wesson handgun, .22 caliber North American arms revolver, 9mm Hi-Point handgun]; Carrying a Rifle or Shotgun (Outside Home or Place of Business) [Windham Weaponry rifle, Hatfield Gun Company SAS shotgun]; Possession of a Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device; Unlawful Possession of Ammunition [.22 caliber rounds, 9mm rounds, 5.56 x 45mm rounds, .223 caliber rounds, shotgun shells]
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
U.S. Capitol Police responded to two separate reports of a possible explosive device on Jan. 6., 2021, near the National Republican Club and the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Both sites are less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol. During a canine sweep, officers came across a red truck and noticed what appeared to be a firearm on the passenger seat. According to court records, the truck is registered to Lonnie Leroy Coffman. He was not with his car at the time. In a search of Coffman's truck, officers allegedly found an assault rifle, rifle magazines with ammunition, 11 mason jars containing an unknown liquid, cloth rags and lighters. A preliminary test by Capitol Police Hazardous Material Team determined the liquid was an igniting substance. When Coffman tried to return to his truck later that evening, he crossed paths with officers. After asking Coffman for a description of his car and his name, Coffman allegedly asked officers whether they had located the bombs. According to court documents, Coffman told law enforcement that the mason jars contained "melted Styrofoam and gasoline," an explosive mixture that has the effect of napalm, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Coffman was indicted on 17 weapons charges. The U.S. Capitol Police does not attribute the explosive devices at the National Republican Club and the Democratic National Committee Headquarters to Coffman. According to sentencing memos filed in court, Coffman served multiple tours of duty in the U.S. Army, including in Vietnam.
Case History
Coffman pleaded Guilty to two charges: Possession of an Unregistered Firearm [11 Molotov cocktails]; Carrying a Pistol Without a License. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced 4/1/2022 to incarceration of 46 months on Count 1 and 15 months on Count 2 with credit for time served; 36 months supervised release on Count 1 and 36 months on Count 2; $200 special assessment. Coffman 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.