Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 48
- Location
- Richmond, Texas
- Charges
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building; Violent Entry and 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
Until very recently, Tam Dinh Pham, of Richmond, Texas, was an 18-year-employee of the Houston Police Department. That changed after the FBI recovered deleted photographs from his phone that showed he was inside the Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 6, 2021. Court documents say Pham told FBI agents that he went to Washington, D.C., on a business trip with his wife and a friend and that they went to the Trump rally to “see history.” He allegedly followed the crowd to the Capitol, court documents say, went around downed barricades and entered the building. He took pictures of himself in front of some of the art in the Capitol. He has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. His attorney, Nicole DeBorde, told NPR that Pham is a quiet man with a strong Buddhist faith who feels a great deal of shame for what happened. He also, she said, believes Joe Biden won the election. He has since resigned from the Houston Police Department.
Case History
Pham pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced 12/10/2021 to 45 days in jail; $500 in restitution; $10 assessment; $1,000 fine. Pham 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.