Public January 6 profile · ready to claim

Michael Stepakoff

Pardoned January 6 defendant

Archive card · not a photograph

They call him Coach Mike. Michael Stepakoff is an ordained messianic rabbi out of Palm Harbor, Florida, the founder of Temple New Jerusalem in the Tampa Bay area, and a man who spent more than twelve years coaching youth sports. [FACT - Medvin Law Firm case record; WJLA; Miami New Times] A rabbi. A coach. A lawyer. Pinellas County, Florida. WHO HE IS Michael Stepakoff was 56 at the time of his case. He built a congregation from the ground up and led it. Twelve years and more on the sidelines with kids, which is why the neighborhood knows him as Coach Mike. Before the pulpit he practiced law in Florida. [FACT - Medvin Law Firm; ABC Action News] Faith, kids, community. That is the resume that does not fit in a docket entry. HIS LEGAL FIGHT Michael Stepakoff was arrested January 29, 2021 and charged with four federal misdemeanors: entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. [CHARGE ONLY - DOJ case record 1:21-cr-96] He was arraigned March 2, 2021 and pleaded not guilty to all counts. He later entered a plea agreement on September 24, 2021 and pleaded guilty to the lowest count, parading in a Capitol building. [FACT - DOJ case record] His counsel put on the record that he was inside roughly five minutes, that he took photographs, that he interacted with police, and that no violence was witnessed. [THEIR ACCOUNT - defense position reported by Medvin Law Firm] On January 20, 2022 Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced him to 12 months probation with two months of home confinement, 60 hours of community service, a $742 fine and $500 restitution. No prison. [FACT - DOJ case record; WJLA] At sentencing Stepakoff said: "Entering the Capitol was a terrible mistake on my part. I deeply regret it... Although in hindsight, I now know that I was clearly mistaken, it seemed at the time, that the protest... was continuing lawfully." [THEIR ACCOUNT - quoted by Medvin Law Firm] WHAT IT COST HIM The Florida Supreme Court revoked his law license over the January 6 charge. [FACT - Miami New Times] A misdemeanor parading count. A career in law, gone. That is the collateral damage nobody puts in the press release. CLEMENCY Michael Stepakoff was pardoned. [FACT - Medvin Law Firm case record, which lists the matter as PARDONED] The January 20, 2025 proclamation granted a full, complete and unconditional pardon for offenses related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. [FACT - Federal Register 2025-01950] THE CASE RECORD Name: Michael Stepakoff Case number: 1:21-cr-96 Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Arrested January 29, 2021, initial appearance same day. Charged by information February 9, 2021. Arraigned March 2, 2021, pleaded not guilty to all counts. Plea agreement entered September 24, 2021, guilty to count 4. Sentenced January 20, 2022: 12 months probation including two months home detention, $742 fine, $500 restitution. DOJ record: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/defendants/stepakoff-michael WHAT THIS DOES NOT PROVE Michael Stepakoff was never charged with or convicted of any violent offense arising from January 6. The count he pleaded to is a petty offense. WHAT IT DOES PROVE A Palm Harbor, Florida rabbi who coached other people's kids for twelve years pleaded to the smallest charge on the sheet, took probation, lost his law license over it, and was pardoned. Read the record and decide for yourself what that was worth. This profile is unclaimed. If this is you, or your family, claiming it is free, forever.