Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 41
- Location
- Boynton Beach, Florida
- Charges
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Nicholes Lentz is a former police officer and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who told FBI agents he drove overnight from his home in Florida to show support for former President Donald Trump’s rally on Jan. 6, 2021. Lentz told FBI agents he followed the crowd toward the U.S. Capitol after Trump’s speech, remaining inside the building for about two hours, according to a criminal complaint. “The people give the power, and we’re here to take it back,” Lentz said in a video posted to his Facebook profile that FBI agents believe he filmed inside the U.S. Capitol Crypt. “We’re not here to hurt any cops of course. I love my boys in blue.” Lentz told FBI agents he “felt obligated to help control the crowd,” so he said he joined elbow to elbow with a group of firefighters and first responders to help with crowd control at one point. In 2017, Lentz was featured on ABC News for saving a mother and her 4-month-old baby from Hurricane Irma’s floodwaters. According to a sentencing memo filed by the defendant in court, Lentz served in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a police officer in Fla.
Case History
Lentz pleaded Guilty to the single charge. Sentenced on 5/10/2022 to 36 months probation; 30 days location monitoring; 100 hours of community service; $500 restitution; $25 special assessment. Lentz 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.