Daniel Ball, who was recently granted a full pardon by former President Donald Trump for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riots, has found himself in legal trouble again. Just a day after receiving the pardon, Ball was arrested on Tuesday on a federal gun charge, The Hill reported.
Ball, a Florida resident, appears to be the first rioter from the January 6 attacks to face new legal issues following the wide-reaching pardons issued to those involved in the Capitol riot. His arrest warrant marks the first filed in Washington, DC, since Trump began his second presidency.
According to The Hill, Ball was initially charged in May 2023 with 12 counts related to the Capitol riot, including assaulting officers and using explosives. Prosecutors accused him of working with others to push against police and throwing an explosive device that injured 25 officers. However, these charges were dropped following Trump’s pardon and are not part of his new indictment. Instead, the new charges focus on Ball’s possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, citing his prior convictions for domestic violence and resisting law enforcement.
Ball is one of over 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 riot who had their charges dropped through Trump’s pardons. Notably, some leaders from far-right extremist groups, such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, also received sentence reductions as part of the clemency actions taken by Trump.
On January 21, hours after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Trump granted pardons and commutations to those convicted in relation to the events of January 6. According to a White House statement, 14 individuals received commutations for their sentences related to the Capitol riots, while others were granted “a full, complete, and unconditional pardon.”
Among those who received commutations were individuals charged or convicted with seditious conspiracy, many of whom were part of far-right extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, CNN reported.
The White House also stated that the Attorney General would oversee the immediate issuance of certificates of pardon for those granted full pardons, with the individuals released from prison shortly thereafter.
Ball’s recent arrest on a federal gun charge is a stark reminder that the legal consequences for many individuals involved in the Capitol riots may continue to unfold, despite the pardons granted by Trump.