Houston college student sentenced for Jan. 6 capitol riot, says FBI agent allegedly stole from him

A Houston college student, Alexander Fan, who was sentenced for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 breach at the U.S. Capitol, has become one of the alleged victims of an FBI agent indicted for theft.

During a sentencing hearing on Friday, Fan received a 12-month probation term for trespassing. His attorney, Mark Thering, stated that Fan pleaded guilty and expressed genuine remorse before the court.

Following Fan’s arrest in June 2023, his residence was searched, and the subsequent court records revealed that Fan reported to the FBI the next day about missing items, including cash and silver bars, from his bedroom. Notably, these items were not seized under the warrants.

Thering mentioned that the loss amounted to several thousand dollars, and Fan did not anticipate any action after reporting the incident to the FBI.

On Jan. 31, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of Nicholas Anthony Williams, an FBI agent based in Houston.

Williams was charged with taking money and property from multiple homes while executing search warrants between March 2022 and July 2023. Additionally, he is accused of stealing FBI cell phones and making unauthorized charges on his government-issued credit card.

Chip Lewis, Williams’ defense attorney, stated, “Nick has cooperated with the authorities from the outset of this investigation and will continue to do so.”

Prosecutors have not disclosed the number of victims or the total value of stolen items during the searches. However, the indictment alleges that Williams converted the money or property for personal use.

Thering remarked, “We trust public officials to act ethically, but I don’t believe this reflects negatively on any law enforcement agency or federal entity.”

If convicted, Williams could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.