Neil Ashcraft

Case Summary

Neil Ashcraft pleaded guilty to stealing an American flag and flagpole from the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and taking them to his home in Florida. A fellow rioter later burned the flag at Ashcraft's mother's house and tossed the pole into a pond in an attempt to conceal the evidence, according to a court filing that Ashcraft signed. Ashcraft admitted he scaled scaffolding outside and “exhorted other rioters to storm the Capitol” before the crowd broke windows to access the building, according to the filing. He was among the first rioters to enter the Senate wing, carrying a white metal pole inside and striking the floor repeatedly, according to the filing. Ashcraft also posed for a photo with a statue of former President Ronald Reagan inside the Rotunda before stealing the flag from a room or hallway near the Rotunda and wrapping it around his shoulders. According to the filing, Ashcraft left the Capitol after about 40 minutes inside. In a sentencing memorandum filed in federal court, prosecutors identified Ashcraft as a former U.S. Marine and said his military experience made his knowledge of the flag burning unexpected, saying that Ashcraft would have instead been expected to hold the flag "sacrosanct" and associate it "with valiant men and women sacrificing their lives to protect the very freedom and rule of law of which he was taking advantage."

Case History

Ashcraft pleaded Guilty to both charges. Sentenced on 3/8/2023 to 80 days incarceration; 12 months supervised release; $100 special assessment; $2,000 restitution. Ashcraft 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.