THE COURTROOM. >> THE PRELIMINA HEARING FOR 22-YEAR-OLD RILEY WILLIAMS CONTINUED THIS MORNING HERE AT THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN HARRISBURG AFTER A FIRST COURT APPEARANCE ON TUESDAY. SHE NOW FACES A TOTAL OF FOUR FEDERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING TWO FELONIES. VIDEO FROM BRITISH BROADCASTER ITV POSTED ON YOUTUBE SHOWS WILLIAMS INSIDE THE CAPITOL DURING THE RIOTS. SHE’S CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTING OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS. IN THIS CASE, THE CERTIFICATION -- WITH OBSTRUCTING OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS, IN THIS CASE THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES, AND WITH AIDING AND ABETTING THE THEFT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT PROPERT NANCY PELOSI’S OFFICE. THOSE ARE BOTH FELONIES AND THOSE CHARGES WHERE ADDED TO THE AFFIDAVIT SINCE THE LAST COURT HEARING. BUT WILLIAMS’ LAWYER SAID IN COURT TODAY THAT HER EX-BOYFRIEND, WHO IS A GOVERNMENT WITNESS AND KEY TO THE CASE AGAINST HER, HAS BE -- HAS HARASSED HER AND STALKED HER. >> HIS ACCUSATIONS ARE OVERSTATED, I THINK THAT’S WHAT I SAID IN COURT. HIS ACCUSATIONS ARE OVERSTATED. IT’S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN MY OPINION BUT I DON’T THINK IT’S AS CLEAR AS THE GOVERNMENT IS MAKING IT IN THEIR AFFIDAVIT OF PROBABLE CAUSE. JERE: WILLIAMS DEFENSE LAWYER SAID TODAY THE SHE FILED A PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDER AGAINST THE EX-BOYFRIEND AFTER THE JANUARY 6 RIOT AT THE CAPITOL. WILLIAMS WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON TODAY TO HOME CONFINEMENT UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF HER MOTHER. IF FOUND GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES, WILLIAMS COULD FACE A MAXIMUM OF 31.5 YEARS IN PRISON AND MORE THAN $500,000 IN FINES. THIS CASE NOW HEADS TO FEDERAL COURT IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE SHE WILL BE BACK IN CO
Woman accused of helping steal Pelosi laptop freed from jail
Updated: 12:47 PM EST Jan 21, 2021
A Pennsylvania woman facing charges that she helped steal a laptop from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the attack on the U.S. Capitol will be released from jail, a federal judge decided Thursday.U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Carlson released Riley June Williams into the custody of her mother, with travel restrictions, and instructed her to appear Monday in federal court in Washington to continue her case. Williams, 22, of Harrisburg, is accused of theft, obstruction and trespassing, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.During the hearing, Carlson said the “gravity of these offenses is great, it cannot be overstated.” But, he noted Williams has no prior criminal record.The FBI says an unidentified former romantic partner of Williams tipped them off that she appeared in video from the Jan. 6 rioting and the tipster claimed she had hoped to sell the computer to Russian intelligence.Video from the riot shows a woman matching Williams' description exhorting invaders to go “upstairs, upstairs, upstairs” during the attack, which briefly disrupted certification of President Joe Biden's electoral victory.Williams' attorney, federal public defender Lori Ulrich, declined to comment on the case. Williams surrendered to face charges on Monday and has been locked up in the county jail in Harrisburg.In adding the theft-related charges on Tuesday, a Virginia-based FBI agent said Williams was recorded on closed-circuit cameras in the Capitol going into and coming out of Pelosi's office.The agent's affidavit said a cellphone video that was likely shot by Williams shows a man's gloved hand lifting an HP laptop from a table, and the caption read, “they got the laptop.”Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, has said a laptop used only for presentations was taken from a conference room.A federal prosecutor earlier this week argued that Williams should not be released on bail pending trial, claiming she might flee or try to obstruct justice.
A Pennsylvania woman facing charges that she helped steal a laptop from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the attack on the U.S. Capitol will be released from jail, a federal judge decided Thursday.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Carlson released Riley June Williams into the custody of her mother, with travel restrictions, and instructed her to appear Monday in federal court in Washington to continue her case. Williams, 22, of Harrisburg, is accused of theft, obstruction and trespassing, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
During the hearing, Carlson said the “gravity of these offenses is great, it cannot be overstated.” But, he noted Williams has no prior criminal record.
The FBI says an unidentified former romantic partner of Williams tipped them off that she appeared in video from the Jan. 6 rioting and the tipster claimed she had hoped to sell the computer to Russian intelligence.
Video from the riot shows a woman matching Williams' description exhorting invaders to go “upstairs, upstairs, upstairs” during the attack, which briefly disrupted certification of President Joe Biden's electoral victory.
Williams' attorney, federal public defender Lori Ulrich, declined to comment on the case. Williams surrendered to face charges on Monday and has been locked up in the county jail in Harrisburg.
In adding the theft-related charges on Tuesday, a Virginia-based FBI agent said Williams was recorded on closed-circuit cameras in the Capitol going into and coming out of Pelosi's office.
The agent's affidavit said a cellphone video that was likely shot by Williams shows a man's gloved hand lifting an HP laptop from a table, and the caption read, “they got the laptop.”
Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, has said a laptop used only for presentations was taken from a conference room.
A federal prosecutor earlier this week argued that Williams should not be released on bail pending trial, claiming she might flee or try to obstruct justice.
Source link
