SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – On his first day in office, President Donald Trump pardoned over 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, including five people from South Dakota.
All but one South Dakota case had pending charges, according to tracking information from the Associated Press. President Trump’s executive order said all pending cases will be dismissed.
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Republican Majority Leader John Thune told national media outlets that “we’re not looking backwards, we’re looking forward,” while adding that the cases were not blanket pardons, but would be evaluated “case-by-case.”
Here’s a look at the five people from South Dakota involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
James Haffner
Arrested Dec. 1, 2021
James Haffner at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentJames Haffner at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentJames Haffner at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentJames Haffner at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice Department
Haffner was charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, among other offenses.
Court documents alleged Haffner dismantled police barricades, sprayed an aerosol substance at U.S. Capitol Police officers trying to guard doors and walked around the Capitol building after pushing past police.
Haffner is from Seattle, but court documents say he got a South Dakota driver’s license shortly after Jan. 6 and moved to Sturgis. He was arrested on Dec. 1, 2021, in Pennington County. Haffner was 53 at the time of his arrest.
Billy Knutson
Arrested Jan. 2022
Billy Knutson at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentBilly Knutson at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentBilly Knutson at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice Department
Knutson, from Mitchell, was convicted of entering and remaining in a restricted building. He was sentenced in August 2022 to six months in jail and a year on probation.
According to court documents, he entered the Capitol through a window and recorded a video of the riot that he later used in music videos on his YouTube channel.
Knutson moved to South Dakota from North Carolina in 2021, according to posts on his YouTube channel.
Darrell Wayne Goins
Arrested May 9, 2024
Darrell Goins at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentDarrell Goins at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentDarrell Goins at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice Department
Goins, who was 42 years old at the time of his arrest, is from Newell, South Dakota.
His original charges included: civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; and entering and remaining, disorderly or disruptive conduct, and act of physical violence in a restricted building or grounds using a dangerous weapon.
He was also charged with two misdemeanor offenses of disorderly or disruptive conduct and act of physical violence in a Capitol building or grounds and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
According to court documents, Goins allegedly threw a plastic bottle at a U.S. Capitol Police officer, along with entering the capitol, breaching police lines and chanting to the crowd of rioters.
William George Knight
Arrested May 26, 2024
William Knight at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentWilliam Knight at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentWilliam Knight at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice Department
Knight’s original charges include obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, both felony offenses.
Knight was also charged with five misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
According to court documents, Knight was seen on CCTV and open-source videos moving barricades, pushing a large sign into a police line and chanting “Stop the steal.” He never entered the Capitol building.
Knight, who was 37 years old at the time of his arrest, is from Rapid City. He was arrested there on May 26, 2024.
Amy Rebekah Willis
Arrested July 18, 2024
Amy Willis at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentAmy Willis at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice DepartmentAmy Willis at the Jan. 6. Riot | Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Justice Department
Willis was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds and parading, demonstrating for picketing in a Capitol building.
Court documents say Willis physically resisted being removed from the building by law officers at one point.
A South Dakota resident contacted the FBI after they overheard Willis talking about being inside the Capitol building on Jan. 6. The resident was inside the business Willis owned at the time.
Willis was arrested in Sioux Falls on July 18, 2024.
Kenneth Rader, Iowa
Arrested Jan. 2022
Rader is from Sioux City, Iowa, but KELOLAND News has also been following his case.
Rader was convicted of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. He pleaded guilty and was imprisoned for three months, paid a restitution of $500 and was on track for a three-year probation before the pardon.
