Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 42
- Location
- Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania
- Charges
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Melanie Archer and Jordan Bonenberger, who are both charged, were allegedly seen together on police body and surveillance camera footage during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection, court records indicate. FBI agents contacted a person who had known Archer for a long time and casually knew of Bonenberger. That person was allegedly able to identify some photos of the pair outside the Capitol, but was less sure about images from inside the building. Prosecutors say the clothing and likeness of the images that allegedly show Archer and Bonenberger outside the Capitol match with images from inside the Capitol. In addition to the previously mentioned tipster, FBI agents also received information from other tipsters who knew Archer. According to those people, Archer allegedly told them she was inside the Capitol on Jan. 6. Archer declined an interview with the FBI. On October 24, 2022, the record was updated to reflect the defendant's marital name Melanie Lanham.
Case History
Archer pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on 2/9/2023 to 18 months probation; 50 hours of community service; $500 restitution' special assessment of $10. Archer 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.