Image Credit: FBI & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
On January 6, 2026, four men from the Chattanooga area received an official pardon from President Trump for activities around the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and one man should now be released from federal custody where he had been serving a years-long prison sentence.
Jose Padilla, Willam Beals, Zylas Hamilton, and Chad Hedgcock were all charged in the months following the Capitol protest, and all four faced a variety of federal charges tied to their participation.
Padilla, a former prison corrections officer, was sentenced in September of 2023 on eight felony and two misdemeanor charges. After a bench trial instead of a jury trial, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in the District of Columbia found Padilla guilty on all ten counts including two assaults on a police officer, one with a flagpole the court classified as a “deadly weapon”.
Padilla was sentenced to 78 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release upon completion of jail time, and a $2,000 fine.
One charge, obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting charge, was later vacated by an appeals court, but it did not appear to alter his prison time. Padilla was slated to remain in federal custody until September 2026 but should soon be released under his new pardoned status.
Willam Beals, who lived in Tennessee at the time of J6, was initially arrested in 2023 on a felony charge of making false statements within the jurisdiction of the branches of government and two additional charges. He pled guilty to entering and remaining in a restricted building and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building in order to ask for probation instead of jail time.
His plea was granted, and he was sentenced to 3 years of probation with the first 90 days to be served via home detention along with 75 hours of community service, a $500 restitution fine, and $50 in special assessments.
The third man, Zylas Hamilton, faced four federal charges but pled guilty to disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building as part of a plea agreement. He was sentenced to 30 days of home detention, 24 months of probation, a $100 fine, $500 in restitution, $20 in special assessments, and 60 hours of community service.
Finally, Chad Hedgcock of Cleveland, TN, faced four misdemeanor charges: 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, picketing, or demonstrating in a Capitol building. He agreed to a plea deal, admitting to the latter two charges.
The full terms of his agreement were not readily accessible, but the government’s plea offer did include at minimum $500 in restitution and $10 in special assessments per count of conviction along with potential jail time, probation, fines, or a combination of all at the discretion of the court responsible for his sentencing.
While the presidential pardon means the men are forgiven any legal penalties stemming from their J6 cases, their convictions will remain on the record.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
