Four Swanton area residents were charged in Northern Ohio U.S. District Court last week with offenses related to the Jan 6. Capitol breach. Authorities say they entered the U.S. Capitol Building.
Charged were Jodi Wilson, Cole Temple, Gabriel Burress, and Madison Pettit. All four are charged with knowingly entering a restricted building, demonstrating in a capitol building, and disorderly conduct.
An affidavit signed by FBI Special Agent Ian Moore states that the investigation into Wilson and her son, Temple, began in January. Snapchat and surveillance video helped authorities identify individuals matching their appearance inside the Capitol Building from 3:01 p.m. to 3:18 p.m. on Jan. 6.
According to the affidavit, Wilson was interviewed outside her home on Aug. 12 and initially denied going inside the Capitol Building. After agents showed her surveillance photographs of her inside the building, Wilson stated that police officers had “held the door open for [her]” and that an officer had “told me that’s what I could do, and I went in, and that’s all that I did.,” the affidavit continued.
In a separate interview, Temple said he entered the Capitol with a second wave of protesters and it appeared law enforcement allowed people inside.
Another affidavit says footage taken from one camera at the U.S. Capitol building from approximately 3:01-3:04 p.m. depicts individuals that match the appearance of Pettit and Burress inside the building. Footage taken from a second camera between approximately 3:10 – 3:30 p.m. depicts individuals that match the appearance of Pettit and Burress inside the U.S. Capitol.
Burress and Pettit were interviewed outside their residence at the same address on Aug. 12. The affidavit states that Burress identified himself and Pettit in pictures of still frames taken from CCTV video of the interior of the Capital Building on Jan. 6. Pettit also identified them in still frames from the interior of the Capitol Building.
The affidavit said that Burress stated he followed the crowd to the steps of the U.S. Capitol and was pushed into the building by the crowd behind him. It also said Pettit admitted entering the building with a crowd of individuals after gates in front of them, which had been holding the protesters back, were removed. She indicated that she heard alarms go off and felt pepper spray in her lungs.
The case will be transferred to federal court in Washington D.C.
