A man who told authorities about his dad’s involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and testified against him now says he is scared about “dangerous” retribution from his father, given President Donald Trump’s sweeping pardon for those convicted in the melee.

Jackson Reffitt said he has armed himself and changed homes to avoid a potentially violent conflict with his dad, 52-year-old Guy Reffitt.

“I’m honestly flabbergasted that we’ve gotten to this point. I mean, I’m terrified. I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Mr. Reffitt said Monday on CNN. “I’ve got as many precautions as I could recently — I’ve got a gun, I’ve moved and I’ve gotten myself away from what I thought would be a dangerous situation, and staying where I thought my dad could find me or other people that are going to feel so validated by these actions, by this pardon.”

“My dad once called me a traitor, and he said ’traitors get shot,’” he said.

Guy Reffitt was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in 2022 on charges of civil disorder, obstruction of justice and other offenses.

The Bureau of Prisons inmate locator tool said Guy Reffitt was not in custody as of Tuesday, less than 24 hours after Mr. Trump signed the pardon for more than 1,500 people convicted in the riot.

Jackson Reffitt said he is “filled with paranoia about what could happen.” He told CNN he was waiting for a call from the Department of Justice to let him know what to do next.

Jackson Reffitt was on the witness stand for more than three hours during his father’s trial in March 2022. He testified about texts his dad had sent to the family in late 2020 about how he and others would “rise up” and “shock the world” on Jan. 6, 2021.

Mr. Reffitt said he tipped off authorities beforehand, then recorded his dad’s reaction to the riot after he came back home to the family’s house near Dallas days later.

“I felt pretty gross and I felt pretty uncomfortable for even thinking about doing something like this, but I knew that it would help immensely,” Jackson testified during the trial. “Better safe than sorry.”

Guy Reffitt was hit by a pepper ball during the incident and never entered the Capitol, but prosecutors played videos recorded by Guy Reffitt in which he talked about “taking the Capitol” and dragging then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of the building.

No members of Congress were accosted or injured by the pro-Trump mob during the riot.

Guy Reffitt, who is a member of the Texas Three Percenters militia group, also told people he was carrying a firearm at the time, according to court testimony.

Jackson Reffitt told CNN his father was still involved in the militias and did not have a change of heart behind bars. He said his father views himself as a martyr and has become even more convicted of his feelings toward the government.

Jackson Reffitt said his mother and sisters were waiting outside the jail for Guy Reffitt to be released.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.