Federal Judge Refuses Jan. 6 Rioter's Plea to Recover Fines and Restitution Post-Trump Pardon

Hector Vargas Santos believed a presidential pardon would erase his past misdeeds and potentially restore his finances. However, when the former U.S. Marine sought to reclaim over $2,000 in fines and restitution following his conviction linked to the Capitol riot, a federal judge reinforced that forgiveness does not equate to refunds. At 29 and residing in Jersey City, New Jersey, Santos was among more than 1,500 individuals granted clemency by President Donald Trump in January. Yet, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss, in a nine-page ruling, referenced a 148-year-old legal precedent. His decision cited the Supreme Court's 1877 Knote v. United States, which articulated that a pardon does not reinstate rights or property forfeited due to a conviction. Moss firmly denied Santos’ appeal for a refund, clarifying that his fines were correctly collected while his convictions stood. Santos had been convicted in 2023 of four misdemeanors related to January 6, and was responsible for significant damages at the Capitol.