Craig Michael Bingert

Eager to serve his community and country, Craig had been training as a state police cadet while working at a local Walmart when the election night of November 2020 changed his life. Like millions of other supporters of then-President Trump, Craig was deeply disturbed by the developments and irregularities of the election of November 2020. Craig traveled from Allentown to Washington, D.C. to respond toPresident Trump’sinvitation for citizens to join him on January 6^th at the Capitol Mall to protest what he saw as a fraudulent election.

He brought with him a cloth American flag.

Craig was among the estimatedtwo hundred thousand-plus Americans who listened to the President’s speech at the Mallas he proclaimed, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

Waving his copy of Old Glory, Craig joined the majority of protestors as they heeded Trump’s invitation to “walk down Pennsylvania Avenue” to the Capitol building. By the time Craig arrived at Capitol Hill, an earlier crowd of protestors had already opened the first line of barricades and were gathered behind the metal “bicycle rack” barricades surrounding the Capitol building. Craig was shocked to witness police throwing tear gas grenades into the crowd, beating them back with batons, and dangerously firing rubber bullets from a high vantage point.

As Craig’s parents relate, “He[…] approached a bicycle barricade. As crowds gathered and people were pushing, the barricade got pushed. Holding the American flag with one hand and briefly putting his other hand on the barricade to protect himself, for this brief moment, the corrupt government put federal charges on Craig.”

Video footage shows Craig and others in the crowd at the Southwest steps of the Capitol grounds, apparently shovingthe barrier into police officers and lifting it to break through the police line. Craig struggled to breathe as Capitol Police attacked the crowd withchemical irritants. He climbed to safety on the Upper West Terrace. For the next several hours, he peacefully chantedprotest slogans alongsidehis fellow protestors,waving his flag all the while.

Beyond the barricade incident, which allegedly injured an officer’s leg, there’s no evidence that Craig committed acts of violence or destruction. “He had no weapons,” his family noted. “He did not enter the Capitol building and has no criminal history.”

Nevertheless, a few days later, Craig’s family was horrified to see his face appear on the FBI’s “Wanted” list. Unlike some J6 protestors on that list, Craig chose not to run. Instead, he reached out to a lawyer, who contacted the FBI on his behalf. On January 18, 2021, a “devastating day” for his extended family, Craig turned himself in and was arrested.

Believing himself innocent of the eight charges brought against him, Craig refused a plea deal, opting instead for a bench trial. During the trial, Craig was asked by the judge whether“he still believed that Trump won the election.”He replied, “Yes.”

Craig and his family believe that his answer contributed to the unusually harsh sentence he received: 8 years in prison, 3 years of probation and a fine of $2,000.

On November 7, 2023, almost three years after he turned himself in, Craig reported to federal prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi to serve his long sentence. His dreams of becoming a police officer had been dashed. Enjoying his last moments of freedom, he posed for a photo of himself outside the prison – smiling andstill waving his American flag.

Craig and his family continue to fight the legal battle to free him from what they believe is an unjust sentence.

“We have faith in God to get us through this challenging and difficult time. We are praying daily for all the other J6 Patriots and their families […] We greatly appreciate your prayers and your generosity. May God bless you and your family.”  

You can contribute financially to Craig Bingert’s legal and living expenses via his  GiveSendGo webpage: