President Donald Trump wasted no time after his inauguration Monday in signing dozens of executive orders. That includes pardons for more than 1,000 people convicted of taking part in the 2021 riot at the United State Capitol.
Almost all of the West Virginians charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol breach have been sentenced and served their time, although several remained on probation and two are awaiting sentencing.
The pardon does not extend to those currently awaiting sentencing or otherwise being processed by the Department of Justice. It is unclear whether the pardon will apply once such individuals are sentenced.
But according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Pardon Attorney, a presidential pardon removes civil disabilities of conviction, including restrictions on the right to vote, hold state or local office, or sit on a jury.
That includes regaining the ability to own firearms as, according to the Pardon Attorney, “a presidential pardon is the only means by which a person convicted of a federal felony offense may obtain relief from federal firearms disabilities.”
Former state Del. Derrick Evans was sentenced to three months’ incarceration and 36 months’ supervised release for his role.
He took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Monday night to thank Trump saying, “My name is cleared. I have my rights back. I have my life back.”
Similarly, Morgantown businessman George Tanios, who was sentenced to five months incarceration with 12 months’ supervised release, also took to X to thank the president.
“Thank you! We need to be made whole again,” Tanios said on X.
Both men joined calls online Monday night pressing federal prison officials in D.C. to release other pardoned individuals from custody.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File