Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 50
- Location
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Charges
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
In an interview with the FBI, Paul Von Bernewitz said that his brother, Eric Von Bernewitz, had asked him to go to Washington, D.C., with him on Jan. 6, 2021. Paul Von Bernewitz said he agreed so that he could take care of his brother, whose right arm is paralyzed. Paul Von Bernewitz told the FBI that he and his brother attended the pro-Trump rally that day and followed the crowd to the Capitol, where they eventually made it inside the Capitol building for less than 10 minutes. Several photos from inside the building were also recovered from his cellphone, court documents indicate.
Case History
Von Bernewitz pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced 4/26/2022 to 30 days in jail; $500 restitution. Von Bernewitz 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.