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Walter J. Messer

Pardoned January 6 defendant

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Walter J. Messer is a Miami Valley man from Englewood, Ohio, just north of Dayton. He took a selfie with Ronald Reagan. Then he posted it under his own name. THE MAN FACT: Walter J. Messer is from Englewood, Ohio and was 51 at the time of the federal case. Sources: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; WDTN Dayton. FACT: On January 6, 2021, Messer posted a photograph of himself beside the statue of President Ronald Reagan in the Capitol rotunda, captioned "little selfie with Ronnie." He posted it to his own Facebook account, under his own name. Source: the charging document in his D.C. case. No mask. No alias. A man from Englewood, Ohio posing with Ronald Reagan and telling everybody he knew about it. Whatever the government made of that, it is not the conduct of a man hiding. THE CHARGES, STATED PLAINLY CHARGE ONLY: Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. All misdemeanors. No assault count. No weapon count. THE FIGHT FACT: Walter Messer was arrested July 28, 2021. FACT: He pleaded guilty to one count, Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other counts were dismissed. FACT: On September 11, 2023 he was sentenced to 24 months of probation, 90 days of location monitoring, a $10 special assessment, $500 restitution, and 60 hours of community service. No prison. FACT: On January 20, 2025, Walter J. Messer received a full pardon. CASE RECORD Case 1:21-mj-541, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Arrested July 28, 2021. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced September 11, 2023. Full pardon January 20, 2025. Charging document: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236629/gov.uscourts.dcd.236629.50.0.pdf DOJ record: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/defendants/messer-walter-j NEEDS AUTHENTICATION: his trade, his occupation, and his family in the Miami Valley. This profile is unclaimed. If this is you, or your family, claiming it is free, forever.