The Capitol rioter who stands accused of stealing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop has been apprehended. On Monday (Jan. 19), an official from the Department of Justice confirmed to the Associated Press that Riley June Williams was arrested just a day after an arrest warrant was issued.
The warrant arrived not long after the FBI received a tip from a man who claimed to be Williams’ ex-boyfriend. He was able to identify Williams in a video of the insurrection, in which the 22-year-old rioter was seen stealing a laptop or hard drive from Pelosi’s office. He also claimed that Williams was planning to hand the device off to a friend in Russian who would then turn it over to Russia’s SVR.
The deal between Williams and her friend in Russia fell through so it was assumed that she still had the device, or had it destroyed. Pelosi’s chief of staff Drew Hammill had previously confirmed that a laptop was swiped from the House Speaker’s office, however, it was apparently only used for presentations. The FBI is still investigating the ex-boyfriend’s claims.
As of this report, Williams has only been charged for entering the Capitol during the insurrection and disorderly conduct. She is currently not facing any charges for theft. There’s no word on when she will have her day in court.
Prior to her arrest, Williams had fled her home in Harrisburg, Penn., changed her phone number, and deleted all of her social media accounts. She joins the immense array of people who have been arrested for their participation in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
While the FBI continues to hunt down everyone involved with the riots, the National Guard is also venting their own 25,000 soldiers ahead of the inauguration. Their goal is to identify anyone who poses an internal threat to the incoming Biden administration and other guests at the inauguration.