Inset: Peter Schwartz (Nueces County Jail). Background: Peter Schwartz using pepper spray during the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C. (FBI).
A Jan. 6 defendant of some renown who was pardoned by President Donald Trump has been arrested again — this time in Texas.
Peter Schwartz, 53, stands accused of one count of possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, according to federal court records reviewed by Law&Crime. The defendant was also arrested on charges of driving with a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to the Corpus Christi Police Department.
In December 2022, Schwartz was convicted of nine out of 11 charges against him for his actions during the pro-Donald Trump riot at the national legislative seat of government. The defendant was one of the first rioters to be convicted of attacking law enforcement with a “chemical irritant” and ultimately received a 14-year prison term — the longest prison sentence of any Jan. 6 defendant to date.
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In January 2025, Trump pardoned Schwartz. And, in March 2025, his case was dismissed by a district judge in Washington, D.C.
As of Tuesday, however, a federal magistrate judge has ordered Schwartz to remain behind bars pending trial on his latest charge.
The latest legal troubles for the traveling welder from Kentucky began on the evening of July 14, when local police in Corpus Christi received a call about a “traffic hazard” on the beach near Bob Hall Pier, according to a federal criminal complaint filed by an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“The notes on the call stated a subject was doing donuts around the 911 callers’ truck, the caller approached the truck, and the suspect pulled a gun on the 911 caller,” the complaint reads. “The 911 caller was able to describe the truck as a silver Chevrolet truck with chrome wheels, driven by a white male with tattoos and provided the license plate…The truck had a sticker of a flaming skull on the back windshield and had a female passenger in the front seat.”
Authorities allege Schwartz was the driver of that Chevrolet.
Later that same night, the pickup was spotted and pulled over by U.S. park rangers at the Padre Island National Seashore in response to a “be on the lookout” or “BOLO” request placed by local police.
“After informing both individuals they were detained, they both refused to identify themselves,” the charging document reads.
Authorities say the defendant’s driver’s license was invalid “due to DUI refusals.” The park ranger also noted that Schwartz had “a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath, had slurred speech, and was very argumentative” during the stop, according to the complaint.
Inside the truck, the rangers found an open container of Miller Lite, “a small dime bag containing suspected cocaine,” two loaded pistols, and “drug paraphernalia such as a small mirror with three straws with suspected cocaine residue,” the charging document says.
The ATF agent followed up and found a Facebook profile, which purportedly belongs to Schwartz, showing the defendant posing “with firearms on a beach within the last two months.” Authorities say the posed pictures were taken in front of the same pickup truck stopped by the park rangers and that in the photos, Schwartz is “wearing a shirt that reads ‘stay strapped or get clapped’ and depicting a gun.”
The charging document goes on to detail an apparent fascination with firearm-related photography and social media updates.
“Within the last two months Schwartz has had other photos of himself in front of the truck with a pistol in his hand, posted on June 2, 2026, and June 27, 2026, along with a photo of himself at Walmart looking at ammunition posted on June 29, 2026,” the complaint continues.
The last time the defendant posed with and posted a photo of himself with a gun was earlier this month, according to the ATF.
“The pistol was within a holster on his waist; this pistol is different than the two firearms he was arrested with prior,” the agent wrote.
Schwartz was arrested on Sept. 9.
On Sept. 15, U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie Hampton found probable cause to keep him detained, citing the evidence against him, his lack of a stable residence and employment, and various other factors.
The post Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Trump arrested again after ‘doing donuts’ on the beach around 911 caller’s truck and posing with guns, feds say first appeared on Law & Crime.
