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Pardoned Capitol rioter Zachary Jordan Alam, freed by President Trump after receiving an 8-year sentence, has been arrested for burglary just four months after his release, raising serious questions about the rehabilitation of January 6 defendants.
Key Takeaways
- Zachary Jordan Alam, 33, has been charged with felony burglary in Virginia after allegedly breaking into a home and stealing items on May 9, less than four months after receiving a presidential pardon from President Trump.
- Alam was previously serving an 8-year prison sentence for his role as one of the most violent participants in the January 6 Capitol events, including smashing windows near where Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot.
- Despite claiming at his sentencing that he “believed in my heart I was doing the right thing,” Alam has shown no remorse for his actions and demanded “a full pardon with all benefits,” not a “second-class pardon.”
- Alam’s case highlights a troubling pattern as he is among other pardoned January 6 defendants who have been re-arrested on new charges after their release.
A Troubled History Continues After Pardon
Zachary Jordan Alam, a 33-year-old Virginia man notorious for his violent actions during the January 6 Capitol events, has been arrested on felony burglary charges in Henrico County, Virginia. The arrest on May 9, 2024, comes less than four months after Alam received a presidential pardon from President Trump, which freed him from an eight-year federal prison sentence. According to law enforcement reports, Alam allegedly broke into a home and took several items before being apprehended by police.
The burglary arrest adds to Alam’s already lengthy criminal record, which includes prior arrests for similar offenses. Before his involvement in the Capitol events, Alam had accumulated multiple charges for burglary, grand larceny, assault, disorderly conduct, and vandalism. This latest incident raises serious questions about whether individuals with established patterns of criminal behavior should receive pardons without appropriate rehabilitation measures in place.
Violent Actions at the Capitol
During the January 6 Capitol events, Alam distinguished himself through particularly aggressive behavior that earned him one of the longest sentences among the participants. He attended the “Stop the Steal” rally before helping others scale barriers to enter the Capitol. Once inside, Alam smashed door panels and windows near the Speaker’s Lobby, creating the opening through which Ashli Babbitt attempted to climb before she was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer.
“Those are not the actions of a patriot. To say otherwise is delusional,” U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich stated during Alam’s sentencing, condemning his violent behavior at the Capitol.
The Trump administration later settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Babbitt’s family for nearly $5 million, recognizing the tragic consequences of that day. Alam’s direct involvement in creating the conditions that led to this tragedy didn’t prevent him from maintaining that his actions were justified, as he repeatedly showed no remorse during legal proceedings before his pardon.
Pardon Without Remorse
When Alam received his pardon as part of President Trump’s blanket clemency for over 1,500 January 6 participants, he demonstrated a troubling sense of entitlement rather than gratitude. Far from expressing contrition for his violent actions, Alam made outlandish demands regarding his pardon terms, insisting he deserved full benefits and compensation as part of his release from prison.
“I believed in my heart I was doing the right thing. Sometimes you have to break the rules to do what’s right,” Zachary Jordan Alam declared before adding, “I will not accept a second-class pardon.”
This dismissive attitude toward legal consequences aligns with his history of disregarding societal norms and laws. While Alam’s defense attorney previously characterized him as a “troubled loner” with substance abuse issues, his mother noted his ongoing struggles with rejection and involvement in minor crimes. His background includes dropping out of the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine after graduating from the University of Virginia.
A Pattern Among Pardoned Defendants
Alam’s case is not isolated. Other pardoned January 6 participants have also faced new legal troubles after their release, including Andrew Taake, who was recently re-arrested on separate charges. This troubling pattern suggests that pardons without appropriate rehabilitation measures may not effectively prevent future criminal activity. While pardons are an important presidential power, especially when correcting injustices in politically-motivated prosecutions, this case demonstrates the importance of ensuring that dangerous individuals don’t simply return to criminal behavior.
Alam has pleaded not guilty to the burglary charges and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in late June in Henrico County court. As this case proceeds, it will serve as an important reminder that presidential pardons, while necessary to address political persecution, should ideally be accompanied by measures to ensure public safety and genuine rehabilitation for those with established patterns of criminal conduct.