Olympic Gold Medalist Guilty Of Felony In Capitol Riot

Politico reports:

A swimmer who twice took home gold for the U.S. Olympic team pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal felony charge for taking part in the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Klete Keller, 39, of Colorado Springs, admitted to a single count of obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions as part of the mob that swarmed the Capitol and delayed certification of Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.

Keller said little and seemed downcast during a hearing on Wednesday afternoon in Washington, where U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon questioned the former Olympic athlete about his decision to waive his right to a trial and plead guilty.

Yahoo Sports reports:

The judge reportedly informed Keller he could receive 21 to 27 months. That timeframe is not official. The court still has to perform an independent evaluation.

Keller admitted to blocking police and refusing to leave the Capitol on Jan. 6. He said he yelled obscenities toward Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer while in the building.

Keller destroyed the phone and memory card he used to take pictures and video in the Capitol. Keller said he threw out the Olympic jacket he wore during the riot. Keller was identified in videos by his jacket.

ALERT: Former US Olympic swimmer Klete Keller has just pleaded guilty to one *felony* count of “Obstructing an official proceeding”

Sentencing guidelines range: 21-27 months

Prior defendant to take this plea got 8 months prison time pic.twitter.com/oYwl7dDWmr

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) September 29, 2021

Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing the Electoral College proceedings on January 6 — and in a surprise move, plans to cooperate with the DOJ and potentially testify against other alleged rioters. https://t.co/BdFDDB2NW3

— CNN (@CNN) September 29, 2021

Olympic swimmer Klete Keller, who wore Team USA jacket to Jan. 6 riot, pleads guilty https://t.co/T0htDuvifd

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 29, 2021

Klete Keller, a former Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals, pleads guilty for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot https://t.co/0aD8FT551I

— Bloomberg (@business) September 30, 2021

?OLYMPIAN ARRIVES AT COURT?
Former gold medal swimmer Klete Keller was not answering my questions as he arrived at US District Court Wednesday to plead guilty in the #CaptiolRiots. Keller is facing 7 criminal counts including obstruction, a felony. @wusa9 @9NEWS @USASwimming pic.twitter.com/AtfspzoBEB

— Eric Flack (@EricFlackTV) September 29, 2021

Even Olympic medalists can be insurrectionists. U.S. Olympic swimmer Klete Keller, who won gold in the 2004 and 2008 Games, has pleaded guilty to a charge of obstructing an official proceeding in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. https://t.co/rcGjJhYLVy

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) September 29, 2021