Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 26
- Location
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- Charges
- Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Entering and Remaining on the Floor of Congress; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Michael Lee Roche, prosecutors say, can be seen during the rioting in videos from inside the Senate chamber, where he stood behind the vice president's desk and shouted and prayed alongside other rioters. That same day, according to court documents, Roche posed for a photo outside the Capitol with Jacob Chansley, who is widely known for his distinctive horned hat and face paint and has been called the "QAnon Shaman." In another video posted to Facebook, Roche allegedly said, "We're here in Washington, D.C. We did get a chance to storm the Capitol." According to court documents, he added, "We managed to convince the cops to let us through. They listened to reason. And when we got into the chamber ... we all started praying and shouting in the name of Jesus Christ and inviting Christ back into our state capitol." Roche was arrested on April 13, 2021.
Case History
Roche pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. He was found Guilty on 3/10/2023 on all charges in a stipulated Bench trial. Sentenced on 6/9/2023 to 18 months incarceration; 36 months supervised release; $2,000 restitution; $180 special assessment. Roche 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.