Ohio Woman Christine Priola Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge for Involvement in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
‘ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES’
Christine Priola, a 50 year-old Willoughby, Ohio woman, pleaded guilty to a felony charge for her involvement in the Capitol riots, the Department of Justice said Tuesday. Arrested on Jan. 14, after deleting electronic evidence from her phone and resigning from her job at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in a Jan. 7 letter, she was charged with obstructing an official proceeding. She and others disrupted a joint session of Congress as it counted the electoral votes for the presidential election, according to the DOJ. Court documents show the occupational therapist illegally entered the restricted area on the east side of the Capitol building and climbed up the steps, entering through the East Rotunda Doors. She carried a large sign that read, “WE THE PEOPLE TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY,” according to News 5 Cleveland. She entered the restricted floor area of the Senate chamber and remained there for about 10 minutes. She was inside the Capitol for about 30 minutes, according to the DOJ. She faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison in October.