Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 35
- Location
- Lanexa, Virginia
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon, Inflicting Bodily Injury, and Aiding and Abetting (2 counts); Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapons, Resulting in Significant Bodily Injury and Aiding and Abetting; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings and Aiding and Abetting; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Paul Johnson was reported to the FBI by numerous acquaintances, including one who allegedly received a text message on the day of the insurrection that said, "We got in the Capitol." Open-source video taken outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, shows a man that federal law enforcement identified as Johnson shouting at Capitol Police, including the words, "We pay your bills, you back the f*** off." Video also allegedly shows Johnson pushing and pulling barricades around the Capitol and, with a group of others, knocking over a U.S. Capitol police officer, who hit her head and lost consciousness. In a livestream broadcast after the riot, an individual the FBI identified as Johnson states, "We're fighting cops and s***. I have video where I'm slinging one around." Johnson was arrested on April 13, 2021.
Case History
Johnson pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Bench trial verdict on 2/2/2024 finds him Guilty on five charges: Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon, Inflicting Bodily Injury, and Aiding and Abetting; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building or Grounds; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings and Aiding and Abetting; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting. Not Guilty on four charges. On 9/3/2024, the Court orders dismissal of the Obstruction conviction. Sentenced on 9/19/2024 to five years of probation, with intermittent confinement on the weekends for the first year; two years of home confinement; $25,000 fine; $2,000 in restitution. Johnson 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.