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Former Citadel cadet and Jan.6 defendant lands counterterrorism job at the Pentagon, report says.CHARLESTON — A former Citadel cadet who was suspended from the military college after participating in the Jan.6, 2021, attack on the U.S.Capitol has reportedly been hired by the Trump administration to work inside a Pentagon office that manages highly classified military operations.The Washington Post, citing four people familiar with the matter, reported June 2 that Elias Irizarry now works in the Defense Department's Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office, which oversees irregular warfare and counterterrorism policy.Attempts to reach Iziarry for comment were not immediately successful.A phone call went straight to voicemail June 3.Much of his story is detailed in court records and a failed run for a seat in the S.C.Statehouse and his own digital footprint.Iziarry’s public LinkedIn profile states he has worked for the Department of Defense, now known as the Department of War, since March 2025.It does not offer any additional details about his current work in the federal government.Irizarry was one of nearly three-dozen Jan.6 category South Carolinians pardoned by President Donald Trump who issued a sweeping clemency order shortly after beginning his second term for nearly all of the people who stormed the U.S.Iziarry was a 19-year-old freshman at The Citadel when he and a pair of friends traveled to Washington, D.C., for the "Stop the Steal" rally where Trump and other speakers touted baseless claims that Democrats had stolen the 2020 presidential election.Irizarry then joined a crowd of thousands who marched on the Capitol, overwhelmed the small police force guarding it and forced their way into the Capitol building in an attempt to stop the lawful certification of a presidential election — prompting members of Congress to flee for their own safety.Wearing a dark-red hoodie and "Make America Great Again" hat, Irizarry carried a broken piece of a bicycle barrier like a pipe as he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and began walking around inside.Irizarry was not accused of assaulting police, as many other rioters were, but prosecutors said Irizarry and hundreds of others contributed to the mob's strength in numbers that day.The Fort Mill resident and Nation Ford High School graduate faced up to a year in prison after pleading guilty to a single federal misdemeanor on Oct.26, 2022, as part of a deal with prosecutors that saw his other charges dropped.In a letter to U.S.Judge Tanya Chutkan at the U.S.District Court in Washington, Irizarry expressed remorse for his role.“I want to make clear that I am not writing to make excuses or defend my actions,” he told the judge.“My participation in an event like January 6th has brought great shame upon myself, my family, and, unfortunately, my country.” He was sentenced to 14 days in jail.Shortly after the plea, The Citadel suspended Irizarry, saying he had committed "conduct unbecoming a cadet." He went on to work as a page for the S.C.State House of Representatives, where he was assigned to the agriculture and natural resources committee.According to the federal Bureau of Prisons, Irizarry finished serving his sentence in May 2023.Despite the disciplinary action, the military college later allowed Irizarry to return and complete his studies.He graduated in May 2024, the school confirmed.The Citadel did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking about its readmittance policy.Irizarry’s LinkedIn profile states he graduated magna cum laude, with a degree in political science and a focus on international and military affairs, as well as a minor in intelligence and security studies.In 2024, Irizarry challenged incumbent state Rep.Randy Ligon, R-Chester, in the Republican primary for a South Carolina House seat.His campaign website described him as "one of several thousand prosecuted by the Department of Justice for nonviolent activities on January 6th" and said that "at every pivotal moment of the America First movement, Elias has been there." Trump backed Ligon in the race, and Irizarry ultimately lost the Republican primary by 44 percentage points.This is a developing story.Check back for updates.