The Capitol rioter who led a mob to the office of Rep. Nancy Pelosi was sentenced by a federal judge to three years in prison on Thursday. Riley Williams, convicted on six counts relating to storming the Capitol: two felony charges (interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, and resisting or impeding law enforcement officers), and was also found guilty on four misdemeanor offenses. Williams was remanded after her sentence was handed down. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Williams was placed into custody immediately because she had “no confidence whatsoever” in Williams’ respect for the law.
According to court documents, Williams was seen on video “directing crowds” up a staircase to Rep. Pelosi’s office on Jan. 6, 2021. Video also showed her taking Pelosi’s laptop and hard drive, and she posted on social media that she “stormed into the capitol building and stole nancy pelosi’s hard drive and gavel.” The jury remained deadlocked on whether or not to charge Williams for aiding and abetting the theft of the laptop.
In a pre-sentencing hearing, Williams said she was a “young and stupid girl” who was “addicted to the Internet” and had become swept up in far-right message boards. She was an avid follower of White supremacist political commentator Nick Fuentes.
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