Shane Jason Woods of Auburn, shown in an evidence photo from federal court slamming into a Capitol police officer on Jan. 6, 2021. Woods received a 54-month sentence for the attack. (U.S. Department of Justice photo)   

In the wake of Donald Trump’s sweeping pardons of individuals charged and/or convicted of crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the nation’s Capitol, more than 50 Illinois citizens have benefitted to some degree. 

However, each individual’s criminal case is different, and some proved far luckier than others, particularly several people charged with and/or convicted and sentenced for the most serious crimes. 

Many Illinois residents charged in the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history pleaded guilty to single misdemeanors and were sentenced to 30 days or less in prison, or home detention, and have served both their sentences and probation time. 

Others, accused of more serious crimes, were either sentenced more recently and have spent only a few months in prison, or were still awaiting trial.  

Government filings in all recent dismissed cases cite “the Executive Order dated January 20, 2025, Granting Pardons and Commutation of Sentences for Certain Offenses Relating to the Events at Or Near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, as the reason for this dismissal.” 

In a press release, the White House opined that the proclamation “… ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation.” 

Jeremiah Carollo of Glen Carbon, is seen on security camera footage entering the Capitol Building through a broken window on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice photo) 

Jeremiah Carollo, of Glen Carbon, is among several dozen Illinoisians who received minimal prison time or probation. Charged with four crimes, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, and served 21 days in prison and 12 months on probation. His younger brother, Anthony, 22, of Lockport, and their cousin, Cody Vollan, 31, of Flossmoor, received probation for the same crime.  

Jeremiah Carollo told U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta at sentencing, “I have no excuse for the actions I took that day … I do regret getting my cousin and brother involved.” 

Kelly Lynn Fontaine, 54, of Lockport, and her husband, Brian Dula, pleaded guilty to the same crime as Carollo; Dula received 36 months’ probation, while Fontaine received 21 days in prison plus 36 months’ probation.  

Some convicted of felonies have already served their prison time and probation. Joseph Leyden, 56, of La Grange, pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or Impeding officers, and aiding and abetting. He was sentence to six months in prison in Sept. 2023 and was released in March 2024. 

James McNamara, 61, of Chicago pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer and was sentenced to 12 months in August 2023; he was released in June 2024. 

Many charged with Jan. 6 crimes suffered repercussions outside of court as well. Prosecutors noted that, after his arrest became known, Jeremiah Carollo lost his job as a baggage handler with Southwest Airlines at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. 

After Fontaine was ordered to report to a federal facility in Philadelphia on Jan. 3, her attorney sought to have the date moved 60 days and to a prison closer to Fontaine’s Lockport home. 

The attorney argued that Fontaine would have to spend over $1,000 traveling to Philadelphia, and possibly more, and “already is going to have to take three weeks off from work.” Fontaine, the attorney said, “would rather put the $1,000 that this travel may cost her towards her fine.” 

Kevin Lyons of Chicago, showing off the framed photo he stole from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the Jan. 6 insurrection. (U.S. Department of Justice photo)   

The judge denied the motion, ruling that where prisoners are incarcerated is not his to determine. On the plus side, however, Fontaine served approximately three days less of her 18 days prison sentence after being pardoned, and no longer has the $1,000 fine to pay. 

Nearly a dozen Illinois men with far more serious charges have had prison time reduced or eliminated by their pardon.  

Federal court records show that the large majority of defendants guilty of felonies like assaulting police on Jan. 6 received several years in prison. 

Kevin Lyons, 40, of Chicago’s Gladstone Park neighborhood, was convicted on one felony and five misdemeanor counts. In July 2023 Lyons received a 51-month prison sentence. At the time of the insurrection, prosecutors say Lyons yelled “F**king Nazi bastards!” and “Traitors!” at police officers trying to protect the Capitol. He surrendered to prison in August 2023, and was released on or about Jan. 21, after serving less than half his sentence. 

Robin Lee Reierson, 68, of Schiller Park, was sentenced to 18 months in October 2024 after pleading guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. He was released Jan. 20, after serving around four months of the 15 months.   

William Lewis, 57, of Burbank, pleaded guilty to assaulting multiple officers by spraying them with streams of wasp and hornet killer “on four distinct occasions.” He was sentenced to 37 months in prison three days before Trump’s inauguration and pardoned on Jan. 20.  

Robert Mark Giacchetti, 59, of Crystal Lake, pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. He was scheduled to be sentenced June 3.  

Joseph Bierbrodt, 54, of Sheridan, pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers and to civil disorder. He was scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3.   

Theodore Middendorf, 36, of McLeansboro, pleaded guilty to one count of Destruction of Government Property; his sentencing was set for Feb. 12. 

Quinn Keen, 35, of Manteno, pleaded guilty assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, and was sentenced to 24 months on June 2024.  

Daniel Leyden, 55, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon. In September 2023, he received a 38-month prison sentence; he was released Jan. 20 after serving approximately 16 months.  

James Robert Elliott, 24, of Aurora, pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers and was sentenced to 37 months in June 2023. He served no more than 18 months. 

Lance Michael Ligocki, 34, of Oakwood, was facing multiple criminal charges, including assaulting or resisting police officers, and was scheduled to go on trial April 28. 

Some Jan. 6 convicts dodged more than prison time. Justin LaGesse, 37, of McLeansboro, faced numerous serious charges, and pleaded guilty to one — Destruction of Government Property. Ten days before Trump’s inauguration and his pardon, LaGesse was sentenced to 11 months in prison and ordered to pay $43,315 in restitution. 

One Jan. 6 convict is now in state custody and may not receive a pardon. Shane Jason Woods, 43, of Auburn, is currently detained in the Sangamon County Jail in lieu of $2 million bond. According to court documents, the night of Nov. 8, 2022, Woods was free on his own recognizance from multiple Jan. 6 charges, including violently slamming into a police officer, and assaulting and battering a media cameraman.  

Local prosecutors say Woods intentionally drove his SUV onto Interstate 55 northbound into the southbound lanes the night of Nov. 8, 2022, while fleeing from police after a DUI traffic stop. He slammed into two oncoming cars, killing a North Carolina woman and injuring two Glen Carbon residents. His blood alcohol level was later measured at .177.  

Woods was transferred from Illinois to Washington, D.C. for his change-of-plea hearing and subsequent sentencing. He pleaded guilty to battering police and assaulting officers on Jan. 6, and received a 54-month sentence in October 2023. He is now back in Illinois awaiting trial on state charges.