Olympic swimmer who stormed Capitol pleads guilty
WASHINGTON (AP) — Five-time Olympic swimming medalist Klete Keller has pleaded guilty to a felony charge for storming the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot. Keller faces 21 to 27 months in prison.
He acknowledged in court records that he tried to obstruct Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, brushed away officers who tried to remove him from the Capitol Rotunda and yelled profane comments about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as he stood near officers wearing riot gear.
Keller also acknowledged throwing away the distinctive U.S. Olympic team jacket he wore during the riot.
He has agreed to cooperate with authorities.
Keller was originally charged on Jan. 13 with obstructing law enforcement, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricting building or grounds without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to a criminal complaint.
Court documents state the FBI used Keller’s height, his Colorado driver’s license photo and his Team USA jacket’s visibility in videos — including one video posted by Townhall reporter Julio Rosas first reported by SwimSwam and The New York Times — to positively identify him at the Jan. 6 riot.
