Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 39
- Location
- Waldoboro, Maine
- Charges
- Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Matthew Brackley was part of one of the first groups of rioters to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to an FBI statement of facts. He confronted a number of police officers inside the building but continued to push past them. At one point, according to the court document, he asked them where Nancy Pelosi’s office was and then yelled to the crowd behind him, “let’s go!,” pushing through officers toward the Senate Chamber. He encounters a line of officers in riot gear but refuses to back down, allegedly yelling expletives against members of Congress. After being hit by chemical spray, he retreated, having spent 40 minutes inside.
Case History
Brackley pleaded Guilty to the charge. Sentenced on 5/14/2024 to 15 Months of Incarceration; 24 Months of Supervised Release; 50 hours of community service; Restitution of $2,000; Fine of $1,000; $100 Special Assessment. Brackley 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.