Capitol Rioter Turned in by Ex-Girlfriend Pleads Guilty

Update: A Pennsylvania man who was turned in by his ex-girlfriend after the Capitol riot has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding and will be sentenced on Sept. 1. Richard Michetti, who has been under house arrest since early last year, admitted as part a plea deal that he invaded the Capitol with other Trump supporters and yelled at officers, NBC reports. He admitted that he also "gesticulated at the officers and at one point briefly pinched the sleeve of one officer," according to court papers. Michetti sent his ex regular updates from the riot and called her a "moron" in one message. She contacted the FBI the next day. Our original story from Feb. 25, 2021 follows:

Pennsylvania man Richard Michetti argued with his ex-girlfriend and sent her videos from the scene as he stormed the Capitol with a mob of Trump supporters last month, according to court filings—and he was the one who called her a "moron." The man's ex told the FBI the next day that Michetti had been at the riot and provided them with the videos and messages he had sent her from the scene, the Washington Post reports. She also helped identify the Ridley Park man in other photos and videos, including some taken in the Capitol rotunda. Michetti faces charges including violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and obstruction of Congress and could face up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities say Michetti—who was seen using his phone on the Capitol steps—argued with his ex about the former president's election fraud claims. "If you can't see the election was stolen, you're a moron," Michetti wrote in a message quoted in court filings released Wednesday, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. "This is tyranny. They … told us 'We rigged the election and there's nuthin [sic] you can do about it' What do you think should be done?" In another message, he wrote: "It's going down here. We stormed the building they held us back with spray and teargas and paintballs." Michetti, who was released on bail with electronic monitoring, is one of at least 246 people charged in connection with the riot. (More Capitol riot stories.)