Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 53
- Location
- Freeport, New York
- 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
Thomas Fee, a recently retired firefighter, was part of the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court documents. When Fee allegedly sent a selfie and a video from inside the Capitol to his girlfriend's brother, who is a special agent with the State Department, the agent then turned them over to an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. Fee also wrote in a text message that he was “at the tip of the spear.” It is not clear from the complaint whether Fee knew at the time that his girlfriend's brother was a special agent. According to multiple news reports, Fee was suspended as a volunteer firefighter in 2004 for allegedly yelling out racial slurs at a Black doctor who walked past the firehouse.
Case History
Fee pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced 4/1/2022 to 24 months probation; 50 hours community service; $500 fine; $500 restitution; $10 special assessment. Fee 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 - Supporting Reporting
NPR video evidence pageNPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.