In the wake of the pardons being granted by President Donald Trump, WPTV drove throughout South Florida looking for people who had ties to Jan. 6.
Late Monday night, Gabriel Garcia removed his ankle monitor in Miami. He was sentenced to a year in prison for two felonies related to his role on Jan. 6.
“I’m glad now that we finally have a president, not just because of the pardons, but I have a feeling that our country is going to be a lot better under Trump once again,” said Garcia.
In Boca Raton, we tried to find Richard Cook.
The 38-year-old was sentenced to 18 months in prison last year for offenses related to the breach of the Capitol. He was not at home, and according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, not in their custody either.

National Politics
President Trump pardons about 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants, commutes 14 others
We tried contacting a man in Boynton Beach, Nicholas Lentz, who was sentenced in 2022 to 36 months probation including 30 days of home detention. He did not return our calls.
We did find one man in Wellington, Jason Dolan, who had reached a plea deal on his charges but had yet to be sentenced. He told us he was happy for himself and everyone else but that he had not been contacted directly about his situation.
We also spoke with Stuart attorney Jeff Gorman, who defended a Martin County woman who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6. He told us his client would be completely exonerated adding, "Justice has prevailed for a majority of people who were there on Jan. 6. This wasn’t treason or an insurrection, it was more akin to the end of Animal House."
Below is a statement from Tony Mariotto, a Fort Pierce man who served three years of probation after taking a plea deal for one charge of parading, picketing or demonstrating related to events from Jan. 6, 2021. Mariotto also paid a $5,000 fine and performed 250 hours of community service.
"I believe all nonviolent J6ers should be pardoned and I believe all others should have their sentences commuted with time served.
The FBI and DOJ have abused their power, not only against their political opponents but against the American people who disagreed with them.
For me, my sentence has been completed and a pardon would be more of a ceremonial event and a justification.
I am fairly certain that there were FBI agents who provoked the crowd and if that's true, then that would be entrapment so I think this is the beginning of many lawsuits that will be filed against our government.
I always tell people when they ask me about J6 how did I go from entering an open door straight to the Senate ? Did they think I had blueprints to a place I have never been before? Or is it possible that I and many others were purposely led there?"