FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Brda John A.   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol TORCHLIGHT ENERGY RESOURCES INC [TRCH] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 5700 WEST PLANO PARKWAY, SUITE 3600 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/04/2017 (Street) PLANO, TX 75093 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/04/2017   A   41,322 A $ 1.21 (1) 2,568,322 (2) D (2)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Brda John A. 5700 WEST PLANO PARKWAY SUITE 3600 PLANO, TX 75093	X		President and CEO

Signatures

/s/ John A. Brda		01/05/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	On January 4, 2017, the issuer issued Mr. Brda 41,322 restricted shares of common stock in exchange for the elimination of $50,000 in accrued and unpaid compensation due to Mr. Brda, which compensation is undisputed and has been reflected in the issuer?s prior financial statements.
(2)	Prior to this transaction, both Mr. Brda and Brda and Company LLC (an entity of which Mr. Brda is the sole owner and Managing Director) transferred all shares of common stock they owned to the John A. Brda Trust (the "Trust"). Mr. Brda has also transferred the 41,322 shares reported in this transaction to the Trust. As of January 5, 2017, the Trust holds a total of 2,568,322 shares of common stock of the issuer. Mr. Brda is the settlor of the Trust and reserves the right to revoke the Trust without the consent of another person. Further, he is the trustee of the Trust and exercises investment control over the securities held by the Trust.

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