Jan. 6 attack: How far did criminal cases against Utahns get?

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

President Trump pardoned 1,500 Jan. 6 participants, including 19 Utahns.
Fifteen Utahns had been sentenced, with eight receiving prison time and seven probation.
John Earle Sullivan and Odin Meacham received the harshest sentences of six years.

SALT LAKE CITY — President Donald Trump pardoned about 1,500 participants in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, directing the U.S. Attorney General on Monday to drop pending prosecutions and ensure those serving prison time are released.

Nineteen of those either charged or convicted in the riot are from Utah.

The KSL Investigators examined where those Utah cases stood as President Donald Trump took office and issued the pardons, finding many were still serving out their sentences, while some hadn't had a trial yet.

The first Utahn criminally charged took video of the attack on the Capitol that would be seen around the world.

John Earle Sullivan, of Murray, filmed as he encouraged the mob to keep pushing inside, prosecutors said, and telling others in the crowd he had a knife. The footage he took that day helped investigators find him and helped prosecutors put him in prison.

After Sullivan's arrest, 18 more Utahns answered charges in the federal court system. Fifteen had been sentenced as of Monday, with eight ordered to time behind bars and another seven given probation.

Three have completed their sentences after pleading guilty to misdemeanors, court records indicate.

The most severe penalties went to Sullivan and Odin Meacham, of Myton in Duchesne County. Both were sentenced to six years in prison.

Sullivan, accused by the government of leading the crowd in chanting "it's time for a revolution," was convicted of five felonies. And Meacham, charged with slamming a wooden pole into one officer and throwing a metal pole at another, was found guilty of seven felonies.

Landon Copeland, of Apple Valley in Washington County, also got prison time — three years — for assaulting police. He admitted to using a bike rack as a weapon against police by pushing or throwing it at officers.

Zach Rash, from Payson, was arrested for lunging at officers twice with a stun gun. He's also been ordered to two years and three months in prison.

One Utahn died while awaiting trial. Nejourde Meacham – who prosecutors said had traveled to Washington, D.C. with his uncle to participate in a rally preceding the riot – passed away in August 2023.

Three more Utahns were charged and arrested in the last six months – in August, October and November – but have not yet been convicted.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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Mike Headrick

Born and raised in northeastern Ohio, this is the third time Mike has called Utah home — and he’s here to stay! Mike co-anchors KSL 5 News at 4 and 5 with Debbie Worthen, and KSL 5 news at 6 and 10 with Deanie Wimmer. He spent more than a decade as a reporter for the KSL Investigative Team. He’s covered serval Olympics, and thrives at telling special interest stories and documentaries. Mike is a BYU grad, but very open about the fact some of his best friends are Utes! Over the years Mike’s career has taken him from Ohio, to Texas, to Denver, Colorado. But some of his best journalism has taken place right here in Utah. Mike is the recipient of several Emmy’s and Edward R. Murrow awards for his anchoring, reporting, and storytelling. Outside of TV is where Mike does his most important work. God and Family. He is a husband and father, where he and his wife Rachel spend as much time as possible with their four children. They’re a big sports/activities family, where Mike has coached his kids in basketball, football, baseball, and soccer. He also understands his limitations, and has been supportive on the sidelines of dance, gymnastics, choir, band and ninja courses. Mike also spends a good portion of time serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When Mike does manage to find a little free time, he enjoys hitting the weight room, making and eating popcorn, cheering on The Ohio State University Buckeyes.. and of course his BYU Cougars. Go Cougs!