Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 30
- Location
- Colts Neck, New Jersey
- Charges
- Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Impeding Ingress and Egress in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Convicted; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
Case Summary
About a week after the Capitol insurrection, prosecutors say, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli started talking to someone about what happened that day and what he did. What Hale-Cusanelli likely did not realize, however, was that he was speaking with a confidential informant from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, who was recording their conversation as part of a federal criminal investigation. The confidential source told federal agents that Hale-Cusanelli is “an avowed white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer.” And in the recorded conversation, Hale-Cusanelli allegedly admitted to traveling from New Jersey to join the storming of the Capitol. He told the informant that if additional people had joined the mob, they could have taken over the Capitol. Hale-Cusanelli later allegedly told FBI agents that he watched Donald Trump’s speech before going to the Capitol and “believed there was a strong chance, President Trump would be with them.” Hale-Cusanelli is currently enlisted in the Army Reserve, where he serves as a sergeant in the 174th Infantry Brigade, the Army confirmed to NPR. He is a human resources specialist and has served since 2009. The Army says Hale-Cusanelli has not deployed as part of his military service. Court records state that he also works as a contractor at a naval weapons station, where he has a “secret” security clearance.
Case History
Hale-Cusanelli was found Guilty of all charges in a Jury trial on 5/27/2022. Sentenced on 9/22/2022 to 4 years incarceration; 36 months of supervised release; Special Assessment of $170; Restitution of $2,000. On 12/19/2024, the USCA vacated the Obstruction conviction. Resentencing set for 3/13/2025. On 1/24/2025, the court grants the government’s motion to dismiss the case with prejudice.
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.