Pentagon hires convicted Jan. 6 rioter for office handling classified information, raising internal alarms, report says

The Department of Defense has hired Elias Irizarry for a job in the office of Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, a move that is now causing concern inside the department about his access to highly classified military operations. The role puts Irizarry in charge of sensitive matters such as embassy security, personnel recovery, and hostage rescue, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Irizarry was a freshman at The Citadel and a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail after he traveled to Washington and entered the Capitol through a broken window.

While Irizarry did not hit anyone during the event, one of his traveling partners, Grayson Sherrill, did strike a police officer and later received a seven-month sentence. The difference in their actions and their sentences has become part of the wider account of that day.

Concerns center on the classified nature of the role he will fill

The hiring has worried four people familiar with the situation, mainly because of the kind of information Irizarry will handle in his new role. Prosecutors in his criminal case noted that Irizarry deleted data from his phone between January 1, 2021, and January 8, 2021, which created a clear gap in the evidence.

Despite these past legal issues, the Pentagon is standing by its decision. Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez said that Irizarry is “a qualified, patriotic young professional, and we are proud to have him as a political appointee.” The department has faced other recent questions over how it manages public messaging, including reports that it restricted reporters’ access to its press office.

Looking back on his part in the riot during his 2023 sentencing hearing, Irizarry expressed remorse. “I am ashamed because I will always be a part of this disgrace,” he said at the time. “January 6th represented something truly horrible; it was the largest attack on our democracy since the Civil War.” He also called the event a “horrible day” during the proceedings.

After his legal trouble, Irizarry was readmitted to The Citadel and graduated in 2024. The specific nature of his new work, which involves sensitive military operations, is part of why his security clearance and background have drawn unease from some people inside the department. This is one of several Pentagon decisions drawing attention lately, including a controversial memo sent to junior troops about a White House event.

The Pentagon has not shared further details about the vetting process that led to his hiring. The appointment remains a point of concern for those focused on the security of highly classified operations, and his background and his actions on January 6 continue to be discussed within the department.