In May 2024, Ryan Nichols, Sr. of Longview, Texas was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth to 63 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to two felonies, including assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Court documents reveal that Nichols brought two firearms with him on his trip from Texas to DC, marched toward the Capitol wearing body armor and wielding a crowbar, and delivered streams of pepper spray hitting multiple law enforcement officers.
The Justice Department reported that later that day, back at his hotel room, Nichols posted a video to Facebook, in which he stated, in part, “So, yes, I’m calling for violence! And I will be violent! Because I’ve been peaceful and my voice hasn’t been heard, I’ve been peaceful and my vote doesn’t count. I’ve been peaceful and the Court’s won’t hear me… And I’m here in Washington, D.C. and it just got started. So if you want to know where Ryan Nichols stands, Ryan Nichols stands for violence.”
On January 20, 2025, President Trump pardoned Nichols (seen below with his wife) among approximately 1,500 others who were charged with Jan 6 crimes including Taylor Johnatakis, who was sentenced to over seven years in prison after he was convicted of assaulting law enforcement and other felony and misdemeanor charges.
Never in a million years would I have imagined this life to be on my timeline. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/LsNED3dUXd
— Ryan Nichols Sr. (@RealRyanNichols) January 26, 2025
The two recently pardoned men reunited and had an exchange on X about playing basketball in prison. When Johnatakis (seen below with his family) reminded Nichols, “You once called me a ‘cheat code’ in basketball,” Nichols replied, “LMFAOOOOOOOOO I did because you are!!”
Johnatakis replied: “Only against a bunch of middle aged white guys…got my butt handed to me in Philly with homies from the hood.”
For the record, you WERE a cheat code while playing basketball at the DC Jail. @JamesGrantJ6 had a hard time holding you down for sure. https://t.co/7L9YoW4p43
— Ryan Nichols Sr. (@RealRyanNichols) January 27, 2025
Nichols added to Johnatakis, “For the record, you WERE a cheat code while playing basketball at the DC Jail. James Grant had a hard time holding you down for sure.”
[Grant was found guilty of civil disorder, assaulting an officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of an official proceeding on Jan 6, and was sentenced to three years in prison.]
Note: After being released from prison, Nichols also wrote on X: “The officers in the DC Jail who need to be investigated for corruption and abuse.”
He added, “One of the ring leaders of corruption and torture of American citizens and J6ers at the DC Jail. Have witnessed him both physically and verbally abuse both J6 and local DC inmates alike – including myself,” and doxxed the law enforcement officer by publishing his name and photograph from a LinkedIn account.
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