Pentagon Hires Man Who Pleaded Guilty Over January 6 Capitol Riot
Posted on 06/05/26 at 22:23
- Pentagon Hires Elias Irizarry
- Former Defendant Holds Sensitive Role
- He Has Top Secret Clearance
The Department of Defense confirmed that Elias Irizarry, who pleaded guilty for his participation in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, currently holds a position in an office that oversees special operations and irregular warfare capabilities for the U.S. military.
Elias Irizarry Holds a Position in the Special Operations Office
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A defense official confirmed to CBS News that Elias Irizarry works as special assistant to Undersecretary of Defense Derrick Anderson.
According to CBS, Anderson leads the Office of Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Policy, a division responsible for overseeing the military’s special operations and irregular warfare capabilities.
As part of his responsibilities, Irizarry holds a top secret security clearance.
According to the official, he has worked as a Department of Defense employee since early last year.
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Irizarry’s presence at the Pentagon was first reported by The Washington Post.
Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez publicly confirmed his hiring.
In a post on X, Valdez said Irizarry is “a qualified and patriotic young professional” and said the Department of Defense is proud to have him as a political official.
CBS News reported that it contacted Irizarry’s attorney to request comment on the case.
Elias Irizarry’s Participation in the Capitol Riot
According to federal prosecutors, Elias Irizarry was 19 years old when he traveled to Washington with a friend and an online acquaintance to attend then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021.
He later marched toward the Capitol with other protesters.
Prosecutors said he entered the building through a broken window and remained inside for approximately 27 minutes.
During that time, he accessed a conference room and the Capitol Rotunda while carrying a metal pole.
His attorney argued that he entered the building to look for the acquaintance he had traveled with.
Irizarry eventually pleaded guilty to one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.
He was sentenced to 14 days in prison.
He later received a pardon from President Trump, along with nearly all others involved in the Capitol riot, on the first day of Trump’s second term.
The Remorse He Expressed Before the Court
During his 2023 sentencing hearing, Irizarry expressed remorse for his actions.
According to the transcript cited by CBS News, he apologized to the police officers who responded to the riot.
He also told the court that his actions had deeply embarrassed him, his family, and his country.
Elias Irizarry said he understood the seriousness of what happened once he left the Capitol and watched videos of the violence recorded that day.
“I am ashamed because I will always be part of this disgrace,” he said during the hearing.
He also promised to work for the rest of his life to redeem himself.
His federal public defender argued that he was different from many of the defendants linked to the riot.
The attorney described him as a bright young man who did not deny the election results and did not embrace conspiracy theories.
Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan described his sentence as one of the most difficult decisions she faced among the January 6-related cases.
The judge highlighted his age and background, which she described as “quite commendable.”
She even said she would be willing to write him a recommendation letter if he decided to apply again to The Citadel Military College of South Carolina, the institution that expelled him after the events.
“We all make mistakes; some are more serious than others, and yours was a very serious one,” Chutkan told him during the hearing.
The judge added that she suspected Elias Irizarry could do something extraordinary with his life and expressed hope that he would.
