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Sweeping clemency includes over 1,600 individuals, local defendants among those pardoned
ALBANY — A series of pardons issued by President Donald Trump in the opening hours of his second term has reignited national debate over accountability for the events of January 6, 2021.
Among those pardoned are several individuals with ties to New York’s Capital Region who were convicted for their roles in the U.S. Capitol attack.
Trump’s proclamation, issued Monday evening, provides “a full, complete, and unconditional pardon” to individuals convicted of offenses related to the Capitol riot, including those who committed violence against law enforcement. The action covers roughly 1,600 people and includes commutations for more than a dozen individuals serving prison sentences.
Trump’s order also dismisses ongoing prosecutions, despite earlier signals from his campaign that clemency might exclude those who assaulted police. In his proclamation, Trump described the pardon as a step toward “national reconciliation” and the end of “a grave injustice.”
Local Defendants Pardoned
The Times Union identified several Trump supporters who were arrested and charged for their involvement in the January 6 Insurrection. Among the individuals pardoned were Troy Weeks of Rensselaerville, Micaiah Joseph, formerly of Voorheesville, and William Tryon of Coeymans, all convicted for participating in the riot.
Troy Weeks, 39, was arrested two years after the attack and faced charges including civil disorder and assaulting law enforcement officers. Prosecutors alleged that Weeks stole an officer’s pepper spray and grabbed a riot shield while yelling at police about election security. In November, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. He had been serving his sentence at a federal facility in Ayer, Massachusetts, with a release date scheduled for July.
Micaiah Joseph, 34, who previously resided in Voorheesville, was convicted alongside Weeks. Prosecutors said Joseph wore a tricorn hat, gas mask, and body armor as he pushed against police lines and handed his gas mask to another rioter before leaving the Capitol. Joseph received a 37-month prison sentence and 36 months of supervised release and was incarcerated at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
William Tryon, 73, a farmer from Coeymans, likened the riot to the storming of Normandy in World War II. Arrested in March 2021, he admitted to entering the Capitol despite being denied access by police and was captured on video leading chants and singing “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Tryon was sentenced to 50 days in jail and a year of supervised release.
The January 6 riot, which sought to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election, resulted in more than 140 injuries to law enforcement personnel and the deaths of five individuals. In the years since, scores of participants have faced federal charges, and the Capitol attack has remained a focal point in the nation’s political discourse.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The previous draft of this article attributed an outdated quote to the Albany FBI Office.