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Eric Gene Barber

Pardoned January 6 defendant

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Eric Gene Barber spent years serving Parkersburg, West Virginia, as an elected city councilman. He pushed for higher pay for the police officers who patrol his town, and earned endorsements from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 and Firefighters Local 91 for it. He also worked with the criminal justice reform group FAMM to help pass the First Step Act, a law that would later apply to his own case. FACT: Barber traveled five hours from West Virginia to Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021. He was arrested that March, pleaded guilty in December 2021, and was sentenced in June 2022 to 45 days in jail and 24 months of probation. On January 20, 2025, President Trump granted clemency covering the January 6 prosecutions. Barber has since said he is seeking compensation for his arrest and prosecution. THEIR ACCOUNT (self-published, August 2025): Since his release, Barber has thrown himself back into a lifelong dream: stock car racing. He bought his first car just before January 6, and even while juggling federal court hearings, he earned Rookie of the Year honors in his racing series in 2022. He is currently ranked 4th out of 15 drivers in points. Sponsors have been hard to find because of his conviction, so Barber launched his own fundraiser, offering to put a donor's name on the hood of his car for every $100 given, alongside a memorial to J6 defendants who died in custody. "Racing is my therapy," he says. "When I'm behind the wheel, I can forget, at least for a while, about all the attacks and the stigma of being a J6er." Case 1:21-cr-228, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Charges, per the DOJ record: 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 or Grounds; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The docket, as recorded: Arrested on 3/3/21. Initial appearance 3/10/21. Charged via criminal information on 3/18/21. Arraigned 3/31/21 where he pleaded not guilty to all counts. Pleaded guilty on 12/16/21. Sentenced 6/14/22 to 45 days in jail, 24 months of probation, $500 restitution to the Architect of the Capitol and $52.95 to C-SPAN. This profile is unclaimed. If this is you — or your family — claiming it is free, forever.