Capitol Rioter Pardoned by Trump Rearrested on Federal Weapons Charges

A man pardoned by Trump for his alleged role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has been rearrested on federal weapons charges, just one day after his pardon-related case was dismissed.

Daniel Charles Ball, 39, was taken into custody on Wednesday, January 22, on charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to an arrest warrant signed in August, authorities seized a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition from his home.

This marks the first known instance of a January 6 defendant being rearrested after having their charges dropped by Trump’s controversial pardons for Capitol riot participants.

Prior to the pardon, Ball faced serious allegations for his actions during the insurrection. Federal prosecutors accused him of throwing an explosive device at Capitol Police officers in a tunnel. The device, initially mistaken for a grenade, caused a loud bang and left officers disoriented with ringing in their ears. Ball was also accused of throwing a wooden chair leg and a pole at the officers.

While Ball only spent a few minutes inside the Capitol building, a federal judge overseeing his case previously called his actions “some of the most violent and serious offenses” among those charged for January 6. Despite this, his case was dismissed on Tuesday following Trump’s sweeping pardon order, which extended to approximately 1,500 defendants connected to the Capitol riot.

Ball’s history of violence extends beyond the January 6 attack. In 2023, he was arrested in Florida for assaulting five civilians and two law enforcement officers and was sentenced to five years of probation. He also has a 2017 conviction for domestic violence via strangulation.

Trump’s January 6 pardons have faced intense scrutiny, especially since they included controversial figures like Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, and Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers. Both men were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in orchestrating the Capitol attack.

Amy Collins, Ball’s attorney, defended her client and argued that his Florida charges should also be dismissed under Trump’s pardon. “The Florida case should be dismissed with prejudice pursuant to President Trump’s January 20th proclamation as to January 6 defendants,” Collins stated.

Meanwhile, Trump himself avoided legal consequences for his role in the January 6 attack after the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution. Following Trump’s re-election in November, Special Counsel Jack Smith dropped federal charges against him, even though Smith’s January report claimed there was sufficient evidence for conviction.