Peter Schwartz, 53, a Jan. 6 defendant pardoned by President Trump in January 2025, was arrested in Texas after an alleged incident in which he "did donuts" on a beach and reportedly pointed a gun at a 911 caller. Authorities say rangers found two loaded pistols, suspected cocaine, an open container and drug paraphernalia in his pickup. Social media posts allegedly show Schwartz posing with firearms and wearing a shirt reading "stay strapped or get clapped." A magistrate judge ordered him detained pending trial.
Jan. 6 Pardon Recipient Peter Schwartz Arrested In Texas After Alleged Beach 'Donuts,' Pointing Gun
Inset: Peter Schwartz (Nueces County Jail). Background: Peter Schwartz using pepper spray during the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C. (FBI).
Peter Schwartz, 53, a former Jan. 6 defendant who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, was arrested in Texas and now faces federal and state charges after an alleged beach incident, according to court records and local authorities.
Charges and background: Federal court records reviewed by Law & Crime show Schwartz is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony. Corpus Christi police also booked him on state charges including driving with a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful carrying of a weapon.
Schwartz was convicted in December 2022 on nine of 11 counts related to his conduct during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was among the first rioters found guilty of assaulting law enforcement with a chemical irritant and received a 14-year prison sentence — the longest imposed on any Jan. 6 defendant at that time. President Trump pardoned Schwartz in January 2025, and a D.C. district judge dismissed his case in March 2025.
What led to the new arrest
According to an ATF criminal complaint, the most recent incident began the evening of July 14 when Corpus Christi police received a 911 call reporting a traffic hazard near Bob Hall Pier. The caller said a vehicle was "doing donuts" around their truck, and when they approached the driver the suspect allegedly pulled a gun and pointed it at them. The caller described a silver Chevrolet pickup with chrome wheels, a flaming skull sticker on the rear windshield, and a female passenger, and provided the license plate number.
Local authorities say the truck was later stopped by U.S. park rangers at Padre Island National Seashore after a BOLO (be-on-the-lookout) alert. The rangers reported that both occupants refused to identify themselves. They noted Schwartz's driver's license was invalid because of prior DUI refusals, that he smelled of alcohol, spoke with slurred speech, and was argumentative during the encounter.
Inside the pickup, rangers allege they found an open container of Miller Lite, a small "dime bag" containing suspected cocaine, drug paraphernalia (including a small mirror and three straws with suspected cocaine residue), and two loaded pistols.
Social media and investigation details
An ATF agent identified a Facebook profile believed to belong to Schwartz showing recent photos of him posing with firearms on a beach in front of what appears to be the same pickup truck. Investigators say one image shows Schwartz wearing a shirt that reads "stay strapped or get clapped" with a gun graphic. The complaint also cites other firearm-related posts dated June 2, June 27 and June 29, 2026, including a photo of him looking at ammunition in a store and a more recent image showing a pistol in a holster different from the two weapons recovered at arrest.
Schwartz was arrested on Sept. 9. On Sept. 15, U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie Hampton found probable cause to detain him pending trial, citing the strength of the evidence, concerns about his unstable residence and employment, and other factors bearing on flight risk and dangerousness.
Sources: Federal charging documents, ATF complaint and Corpus Christi Police Department reports as reviewed by Law & Crime.
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