President Trump pardons Dan Wilson again
Former President Trump has granted a second pardon to Dan Wilson, who was involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, this time addressing his illegal possession of firearms.
Wilson, a resident of Kentucky, received a five-year prison sentence in 2024 for his actions during the Capitol attack. He had previously admitted guilt to charges related to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person and having an unregistered firearm at his residence.
Initially pardoned for his role in the Capitol incident along with approximately 1,500 others by Trump on his first day in office, Wilson remained incarcerated due to separate firearm-related offenses.
Although he was expected to serve until 2028, Wilson was released on Friday evening following the latest pardon.
A White House representative explained that this pardon was issued because the search of Wilson’s home stemmed from events related to January 6. The official stated that he should not have faced consequences for those firearm issues.
The Justice Department initially indicated that Trump’s pardons did not cover Wilson’s firearm offense but later revised its position after gaining additional clarity on the matter.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington D.C. revealed that Wilson began organizing plans for January 6 as early as 2020. Prosecutors noted that he operated under the online alias “Live Wire” and communicated through encrypted messages regarding his intentions.
A member of both the Oath Keepers and Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers militia groups, Wilson expressed alarming sentiments about potential civil unrest leading up to January 6. In December 2020, he conveyed thoughts about taking control of Washington D.C. if necessary.
On the day of the Capitol riot, he called for mobilization via Zello, a communication app used like a walkie-talkie. His attorney George Pallas expressed gratitude towards Trump for recognizing what they deemed an injustice in Wilson’s case and emphasized that this pardon allows him to reunite with family and start anew.
