17 from Western Pa. charged so far in connection with Capitol riot

The federal government has filed criminal charges against more than 725 people in connection with its ongoing, sprawling investigation into rioting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Of those charged so far, 59 were from Pennsylvania and 17 came from Western Pennsylvania.

Eight of the Western Pennsylvania defendants have pleaded guilty to charges against them. Three have been sentenced, with each of them receiving 30 days behind bars.

Harry Litman is a former U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh and deputy assistant attorney general who teaches constitutional law at UCLA and hosts the Talking Feds podcast. He said the investigation into the Capitol riot is moving along well, considering how large it is and the huge volume of prosecutorial resources it requires.

It is textbook prosecution to go after the easiest defendants, or those at the bottom of the totem pole, first and then work up to the leaders and organizers, Litman said.

“I don’t see any other way to do it,” he said.

Following that path can be time-consuming, but Litman said he feels that comments made Wednesday by Attorney General Merrick Garland were “an assurance of future action.” Garland said in a speech that the Department of Justice will follow the investigation where it leads.

Litman said going after organizers and funders of the riot will be essential to maintaining credibility and meeting the demands of democracy.

While some judges have chastised the Department of Justice for talking tough but then recommending fairly light sentences, Litman said lesser punishment for the so-called “hangers-on” is not problematic.

“When you get to the big guns, you have to respond commensurately,” he said.

Western Pa. defendants

Pauline Bauer, of Kane, McKean County, was arrested May 19. Charges against her include obstruction of an official proceeding; entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly conduct in a restricted building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

A criminal complaint against Bauer said she and William Blauser Jr., of Ludlow, McKean County, entered the Capitol together, taking photographs on their phones.

In footage from inside the Capitol, the complaint said, Bauer could be heard talking about House Leader Nancy Pelosi.

“‘Bring that (expletive) out here now,’” she said. Later, she said, “You bring them out or we’re coming in. Bring them out now. They’re criminals. They need to hang.’”

Bauer was initially released from custody, but has been detained since Sept. 17 for failing to follow conditions of her pre-trial release. A status conference is scheduled for Friday. She is representing herself.

William Blauser, who was with Bauer, also was arrested May 19. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 15 to a single count of parading, demonstrating and picketing in a Capitol building. The charge carries a penalty of up to six months behind bars. As part of his plea agreement, Blauser will pay $500 in restitution. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 3.

Blauser admitted to traveling with Bauer to attend former President Trump’s rally on Jan. 6, and pushing past law enforcement to enter the Capitol at 2:43 p.m. Blauser and Bauer were involved in a brief skirmish with officers before leaving the building at 3:21 p.m.

Samuel Christopher Fox, of Scottdale, was arrested June 23. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 5 to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The charge carries of a penalty of up to six months behind bars. As part of his plea agreement, Fox will pay $500 in restitution. He is free on his own recognizance, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for Feb. 4.

A complaint against Fox said he posted on Facebook after the riot, writing, “We walked into a building that was ours instead of using politics to loot stores. We actually have reasons to be there … I’d do it again, fight me.” Videos on Fox’s Facebook page and surveillance footage showed him inside the Capitol.

Kenneth Grayson, 52, of Bridgeville, was arrested Jan. 26. He faces five counts and was released on bond pending trial. A status conference is scheduled for Jan. 10.

A complaint said he livestreamed himself inside the Capitol Rotunda and the Crypt beneath it during the riot, and was later identified by his QAnon sweatshirt and black Pittsburgh Pirates baseball cap. During a detention hearing, an FBI agent testified that Grayson wrote about violence on Facebook and sent messages on his cellphone that he felt the need to kill people, including President Biden.

Jennifer Heinl, 44, of Ross, was arrested March 18 and pleaded guilty on Nov. 2 to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The charge carries a penalty of up to six months behind bars. As part of her plea agreement, Heinl will pay $500 restitution. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 22.

Heinl could be seen in video footage inside the Rotunda with Grayson.

Debra Maimone, 28, and Philip Vogel, 34, both of New Castle, were arrested March 19. They are charged with theft of property, knowingly entering restricted grounds and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. A status conference is scheduled for Jan. 24. Prosecutors said plea negotiations are ongoing. Maimone and Vogel are free on bond.

Complaints said they kicked a door and stole protective masks from a police officer’s bag during the riot. The couple, who operate Vera General Contracting and Cleaning Services in McKees Rocks, are engaged. Investigators said that Maimone posted video, filmed by Vogel inside the Capitol Crypt, on the social media site Parler. “As the camera arrived on Maimone’s face, she removed her mask and said, ‘It’s amazing,’ ” the FBI wrote in the complaint.

Jorden Mink, 28, of South Fayette, was arrested Jan. 19. Charges against him include violent entry, destruction of government property, unlawful entry while carrying a deadly weapon and theft of government property. He recently changed attorneys. A status conference is scheduled for Jan. 19.

Mink, who remains in custody, is accused of using a baseball bat to break windows in the Capitol building, wielding a flagpole at police officers and spitting on them.

Robert Morss, 28, of Glenshaw, was arrested June 11. Charges against him include robbery, assault, obstruction, civil disorder, aiding and abetting, disorderly and disruptive conduct, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building, and acts of physical violence. He is scheduled to stand trial with three co-defendants on Aug. 29. He remains in custody, with a status conference scheduled for Feb. 4.

Morss, who served three tours in Afghanistan as an Army Ranger, was a substitute teacher in Shaler Area School District. Investigators said he wore military tactical gear to the Capitol and acted as a leader, giving instruction to other rioters, organizing a shield wall and trying on multiple occasions to breach police lines. He also was seen trying to grab an officer’s baton and helmet visor, investigators said.

Matthew Perna, 37, of Sharon, Mercer County, was arrested Jan. 19. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 17 to four counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding, aiding and abetting, entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 3. He remains free on bond.

Investigators said Perna posted a video to Facebook in which he said, “Steve and I, we walked right into the Capitol building.” Perna told investigators he was pushed through an open door in the Capitol building’s west side by a crowd that had gathered behind him, and he was inside for five to 10 minutes.

Nicholas Perretta, 27, of Baden, and Mitchell Vukich, 26, of New Brighton, were arrested June 23 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 15 to one count of misdemeanor parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. They were sentenced Wednesday to 30 days behind bars and ordered to pay $500 in restitution.

A complaint said they wandered through the Capitol building for about 25 minutes before leaving.

Russell Peterson, 35, of Rochester, was arrested Feb. 12 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 8 to one count of misdemeanor parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. He was sentenced on Dec. 1 to serve 30 days behind bars and ordered to pay $500 in restitution.

A complaint said he used his Facebook account to livestream video from inside the Capitol, including from the Crypt, an area below the rotunda, twice that afternoon.

Rachel Powell, 41, of Sandy Lake, Mercer County, was arrested Feb. 4. The eight counts against her include obstruction of an official proceeding, destruction of government property, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building with a deadly weapon, and disorderly conduct. She remains free on bond, with a status conference scheduled for Friday.

Known as the Pink Hat lady for wearing a pink winter hat during the riot, investigators said Powell used a bullhorn to give instructions to others on how to gain control of the Capitol. Images also showed her using a large pipe as a ramming device to break windows in the Capitol, investigators said.

Peter Schwartz was arrested Feb. 4. The 14 counts against him include assaulting, resisting or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon; civil disorder; obstruction of an official proceeding; entering a restricted building with a deadly weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building with a deadly weapon. Schwartz, who remains in custody, recently changed attorneys. A status conference is scheduled for Jan. 18.

Schwartz, a Kentucky man living in Uniontown at the time of his arrest, is accused of spraying officers with mace and can be seen in a YouTube video spraying an orange substance at them, investigators said. Authorities said that in a Jan. 7 social media post, he wrote, “All the violence from the left was terrorism. What happened yesterday was the opening of a war. I was there and whether people will acknowledge it or not we are now at war. It would be wise to be ready!”

Julia Sizer, of Ellwood City, was arrested Sept. 2. Sizer, who remains free on bond, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4 to a single count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The charge carries a penalty of up to six months behind bars. As part of her plea agreement, she will pay $500 in restitution. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 1.

A complaint said Sizer entered the Capitol at 2:48 p.m. and recorded cellphone video showing scores of rioters with alarms blaring in the background. She left the building two minutes later.

Jeremy Vorous, 44, of Meadville, Crawford County, was arrested March 26. The four counts against Vorous, who remains free on bond, include violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and obstruction of an official proceeding. A status conference is scheduled for March 7.

A complaint said Vorous told FBI agents that “he did not go to commit violence,” but followed others into the Capitol building. Investigators said a YouTube video showed him yelling, “I will be here until we drag these (expletives) out.” The complaint said he called the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center on Jan. 10 and reported that he’d been inside the Capitol but “absolutely did not participate in rioting or take anything.”