U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson handed down a sentence on Thursday against Riley Williams, whom a jury had convicted in November on six counts related to her actions at the Capitol. Prosecutors accused Williams of playing a key role in leading a group up a set of stairs and into Pelosi’s office.
A jury ultimately convicted Williams on charges on six charges, including civil disorder; impeding officers; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted area; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Prosecutors had accused Williams of stealing Pelosi’s laptop and said a witness who described themselves as Williams’ former romantic partner made several calls to the FBI claiming Williams had taken Pelosi’s laptop or hard drive and planned “to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, who then planned to sell the device to SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service.”
The witness told the FBI that Williams’ plans to send Pelosi’s laptop to Russia fell through and that she either kept or destroyed the device. The jury was ultimately deadlocked on the question of whether Williams aided and abetted in the theft of Pelosi’s laptop, and the government dismissed the charge with a mistrial motion.
Pelosi’s office did report that a laptop went missing after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said at the time that the computer “was only used for presentations.”
Prosecutors also alleged Williams used commercial-grade software “to wipe her computer six times” in an effort to hide evidence. Williams allegedly changed her phone number and deleted her accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, Reddit, and Parler.
The jury deadlocked on a charge alleging Williams tampered with or intimidated a witness.
The government could seek a new trial against Williams on the theft and witness tampering charges.
‘Caught Up’ in Moment
At her sentencing hearing, William’s defense attorney Lori Ulrich argued that she was “caught up in listening to powerful and influential men,” including then-President Donald Trump, CBS News reported.In her own statement at the sentencing hearing, Williams apologized to police and Capitol employees.
“I barely recognize the young and stupid girl who yelled at police that day,” she said. “I’m now a responsible woman.”
Williams was 22 years old at the time of her actions on Jan. 6, 2021.
Williams also said she had been “addicted to the internet since before I can remember.”
Prosecutors pushed back on Williams’ claims she was simply swept up in the heat of the moment.
“She might be incapable of remorse,” the prosecutor added. “She remains openly proud of her actions.”
Prosecutors pointed to a comment Williams made a week after the Capitol breach, on Jan. 14, 2021, in which she said, “I’ve been told what I did was wrong by everybody but in my heart and soul I know what we did was patriotic and what is right and anybody who says otherwise should be condemned.”
Judge Jackson further chastised Williams during the sentencing, calling her actions “utterly reprehensible.” Jackson said she had “no confidence whatsoever” that Williams had gained a new respect for the rule of law.
Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of about seven years, while her defense team asked for a one-year sentence.
In addition to her three-year prison term, Williams will also have to undergo a three-year period of supervised release and pay $2,000 in restitution.
