Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 37
- Location
- Greer, South Carolina
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Theft of Government Property: Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Entering and Remaining in Certain Rooms in the Capitol Building; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full
Case Summary
In a series of text messages sent to a family member, William Norwood III said he assaulted and stole gear from police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, according to court documents. The day before the attack, Norwood also allegedly said that he planned to dress in all black so he would "look just like ANTIFA," adding that he would "get away with anything." After the riots, Norwood followed up: "It worked... I got away with things that others were shot or arrested for." Federal investigators say at one point on Jan. 6, Norwood sent a selfie of himself wearing what appears to be a U.S. Capitol Police tactical vest underneath a camouflage jacket. In interviews with investigators, Norwood allegedly denied assaulting officers and claimed his text messages were just meant to make him "sound tough."
Case History
Norwood pleaded Guilty to one charge: Civil Disorder. Sentencing set for 2/21/2025. On 1/21/2025, 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
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.