At least two San Antonio-area residents received Jan. 6 pardons from Trump

At least two of the 17 or more San Antonio-area residents charged in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection have had their charges dismissed under President Trump’s sweeping pardon of those arrested over the incident, KSAT reports.

One of those two is Jared Lane Wise, a former FBI supervisory agent from New Braunfels, whom authorities accuse of yelling “Kill ’em” as rioters attacked police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol. The TV station reports that Wise’s case was dismissed Tuesday, the day after Trump’s order.

Bradley Stuart Bennett, a Kerrville contractor, also had his case dismissed Tuesday, KSAT reports — just a month after a judge recommended that he serve a year in prison.

KSAT reports that Bennett’s quick turn of fortune follows days after his girlfriend Elizabeth Rose Williams was sentenced for the 2021 incident. Williams was sentenced to 12 months of probation in a case based on video footage showing her with Bennett inside the capitol, according to the story.

At least 15 other people from the San Antonio area either have served their time or are involved in cases moving through the system, according to KSAT. For example, former Van Ormy Mayor Trina Reyes still had a case pending, the station reports.

Trump issued the pardons and commutations Monday via an executive order. The pardons apply to more than 1,500 people arrested on charges related to storming the Capitol. Those charges included violent attacks against police and massive destruction of property. Trump’s order also commuted sentences for 14 people.

The list of pardoned individuals included Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys movement, and Stewart Rhodes, founder of far-right militant group Oath Keepers. Other leaders in both groups were also pardoned by Trump. Texas GOP lawmakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott — outspoken lovers of “law and order” — declined the Current‘s request to comment on the pardons. However, some Trump supporters and police unions have denounced the decision.

Trump has since defended the pardons, claiming judges handed “ridiculous and excessive” sentences to those arrested in the riot, which injured at least 140 law-enforcement officers, likely more, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

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This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.