A man involved in the January 6 Capitol riot is now employed by the Defense Department, CBS News reports. Elias Irizarry, who was 19 at the time of the riot, currently works as a special assistant to Assistant Secretary of Defense Derrick Anderson. He focuses on Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict policy and holds a top-secret security clearance.
Irizarry joined the Defense Department in early 2022. Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez described him as a “qualified, patriotic young professional” and expressed pride in his role as a political appointee.
Details of his involvement in the Capitol riot reveal that, while studying at the Citadel Military College of South Carolina, Irizarry traveled to Washington with acquaintances to attend the “stop the steal” rally. He entered the Capitol through a broken window, spending 27 minutes inside. He searched for an acquaintance while carrying a metal pole, leading to his guilty plea for entering restricted grounds. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail. Former President Trump pardoned him alongside others involved in the riot on his second term’s first day.
During his sentencing in 2023, Irizarry expressed deep remorse, acknowledging the wrongfulness of his actions and apologizing to responding police officers. He described his experience as a “disgrace” and pledged to work tirelessly to redeem himself. His federal public defender highlighted his genuine regret, stating that Irizarry’s remorse stood out among other defendants.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan found his sentencing challenging, mentioning his youth and commendable background. She offered to support his efforts to reapply to the Citadel, which had discharged him. She noted that life often presents unexpected paths and encouraged Irizarry, despite his mistake, to strive for significance in his future endeavors.