Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 54
- Location
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- 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
Much of the government's case against Vaughn Gordon relies on Gordon's own videos and photos that he posted during the rioting, according to court records, as well as statements to the media. Prosecutors say Gordon posted multiple selfies from inside the Capitol on Facebook with the caption, “Live inside the Congress building. It was worth the tear gas." Gordon later spoke about the riot at a protest in his home state of Louisiana and gave an interview to The Advocate newspaper. "It was chaos. It was mayhem. It was surreal," he told The Advocate. He insisted, however, that "the rampant destruction and the violence that they’re talking about us is not true." He was arrested a few days later.
Case History
Gordon pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced 2/24/2023 to 90 days home confinement; 36 months probation, 90 hours of community service, $500 restitution; $10 special assessment. Gordon 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.