Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 46
- Location
- Queens, New York
- Charges
- Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; 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 not guilty; Convicted; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
According to court records, Philip Grillo was identified after two tipsters spotted him in footage that aired on CNN. Video footage showed Grillo with a megaphone in hand climbing into the Capitol through a broken window, according to the FBI. Inside the building, Grillo and others were captured on surveillance footage in a physical confrontation with uniformed officers, according to an affidavit. The video allegedly shows Grillo and others pushing against the officers who were barricading the exterior doors to prevent the rest of the crowd from entering the building. A video taken outside the Capitol also showed Grillo with a crowd shouting "fight for Trump." Photos show Grillo was wearing a Knights of Columbus embroidered jacket when he stormed the Capitol. Grillo is a Republican state committeeman for the 24th Assembly District in Queens, N.Y., according to the Queens County GOP website. News reports say he identifies himself as "The Republican Messiah" on his Facebook profile.
Case History
Grillo pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty on all charges in a Jury trial on 12/5/2023. On 11/25/2024, the court dismissed the Obstruction conviction. Sentenced on 12/6/2024 to 12 months incarceration; 12 months of supervised release; restitution of $500; special assessment of $70. Grillo 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.