Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 43
- Location
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Entering or Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Nathan Baer joined other rioters in the tunnel on the west front of the U.S. Capitol, the site of some of the most intense fighting between police and the pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6, 2021, according to federal prosecutors. Court documents state that Baer was part of an effort to break the police line guarding the tunnel, as rioters yelled "heave! ho!" and pushed forward. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Baer passing police shields towards the front line of rioters, and rioters using those shields to attack and defend officers. A former classmate of Baer at the Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Ind., identified Baer from photographs of the Capitol riot, charging documents state. A website cited in the court documents indicates that Baer studied and performed opera and sang bass.
Case History
Baer pleaded Guilty to one charge: Civil Disorder. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on 9/6/2024 to 4 months of imprisonment; 24 months of supervised release; 120 days location monitoring; 60 hours of community service; Special Assessment: $100; Restitution: $2,000. Baer 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.