After being granted one of the most controversial pardons in recent memory, Zachary Alam—one of the loudest and most violent participants in the January 6 insurrection—is right back behind bars. This time, it’s not for storming the Capitol, but for allegedly breaking into a home in Virginia.
This marks the first known case of a Trump-pardoned Capitol rioter catching new charges. According to the Washington Post, Alam was arrested on May 9 in a Henrico County neighborhood near Richmond after residents claimed a man entered their home and stole several personal items. He was found in the area shortly afterward and hit with felony residential burglary and misdemeanor vandalism charges.
One internal source said he was still acting erratically when police pulled up.
Alam had previously served nearly four years of an eight-year sentence handed down after his violent role in the Capitol siege. In court, prosecutors made it clear: “He was by far the loudest, the most combative, and the most violent of the rioters.” That violence included smashing a door near the Speaker’s Lobby—moments before Ashli Babbitt was shot trying to crawl through.
Who Is Zachary Alam? A Pattern of Violence and No Remorse
Alam, now 33, wasn’t new to criminal activity. Even before the Capitol riot, his record included charges like auto theft and DUI. What made his role on January 6 stand out wasn’t just the chaos—it was the aggression. He hurled objects at Capitol police from a balcony, pushed through barricades, and showed zero remorse.
The judge who sentenced him in 2021 emphasized how dangerous Alam was during the attack. Even after being convicted of eight felonies—including assaulting officers—he never expressed any regret.
Despite all that, he was unconditionally pardoned in January 2025 by former President Donald Trump, along with around 1,500 others. That move was met with heavy backlash, especially from law enforcement groups and politicians on both sides.
Now, just months later, that same man is facing new charges that look eerily similar to the past—forceful, reckless, and without any regard for others.
Trump’s Pardons Under Fire Again After Alam’s Arrest
Trump’s decision to pardon a wide net of insurrectionists has faced major scrutiny, but Alam’s new arrest has reignited the flames. Critics argue this is proof the former president was too quick to forgive individuals with violent pasts simply because they aligned with him politically.
Legal experts say this arrest could spark further investigations into others who were pardoned and may have since committed new crimes. A criminal justice advocate told reporters, “This ain’t just about one guy. It’s about the precedent this sets.”
The White House has not yet commented on whether it would seek to reverse any of Trump’s controversial pardons, but sources inside the DOJ say Alam’s case will “definitely come up in internal policy discussions.”
Ashli Babbitt’s Name Resurfaces As Tensions Rise Again
Adding more fire to the storm, Alam’s connection to the death of Ashli Babbitt is being reexamined. At his trial, witnesses testified that it was his actions—specifically smashing the glass in the Speaker’s Lobby—that created the moment that led to her fatal shooting.
In an ironic twist, the Trump administration quietly agreed to pay Babbitt’s family a $5 million settlement just last week to resolve a wrongful death lawsuit.
Many online are asking: If Alam never acted violently that day, would Babbitt still be alive?
This arrest—and the attention it’s drawing—has reopened wounds for families affected by the Capitol riot and reignited debates over Trump’s political motivations.
