Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 54
- Location
- Broad Channel, New York
- Charges
- Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Civil Disorder; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Ralph Joseph Celentano III was identified by law enforcement after his image appeared on an FBI "Be On The Lookout" page following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, court documents indicate. After that photograph was posted, someone contacted the FBI to provide them with another photograph of Celentano, which was posted to social media by the Jenny Albert Sea Turtle Foundation. The FBI was then able to find witnesses who know Celentano and could identify him in photographs from the insurrection, according to court documents. Additionally, data from EZ Pass and the New York License Plate Reader capture a car owned by a person law enforcement believes to be Celentano's significant other leaving New York early the morning of Jan. 6 and returning the next day. Prosecutors say police body camera footage from the riot depicts Celentano "engaging in several physical altercations" with officers. Additionally, other open source video allegedly shows Celentano pushing a police officer over a ledge on the West Terrace of the Capitol. The officer, an Iraq War veteran, suffered minor injuries, but reportedly later stated that he was frightened and thought at the time: "I didn't survive a war to go out like this.”
Case History
Celentano pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. In a Jury trial on 6/12/2023, he was found Guilty on six charges and Not Guilty on one: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding. Sentenced on 1/30/2024 to 78 months incarceration; 36 months supervised release; $285 total Special Assessment. Celentano 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.