Police Arrest a Woman the FBI Alleges Stole Pelosi’s Laptop to Sell to Russia

Riley+June+Williams+has+been+accused+of+unlawfully+breaching+the+U.S.+Capitol+building.+

FBI/Reuters

Riley June Williams has been accused of unlawfully breaching the U.S. Capitol building.

Jillian Jenks, Reporter

Riley June Williams was arrested on Monday, January 18th, after she was alleged to have stolen a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the January 6th Capitol riot, with the intention of selling the device to the Russian equivalent of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

A former romantic partner of Williams called the FBI, informing them of the stolen laptop. He said friends of hers showed him a video of her taking a laptop computer or hard drive from Pelosi’s office. He alleged she intended to send the device to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to that country’s foreign intelligence service, but that plan fell through and she either has the device or destroyed it. The FBI says the matter remains under investigation.

FBI Special Agent Jonathan Lund’s affidavit says that Williams was identified after her ex-partner made several calls to the FBI tip line. The FBI also reviewed video from the riot that appears to show Williams at the Capitol ushering a mob up a staircase that leads to Pelosi’s office.

The affidavit also notes that law enforcement in Harrisburg met with Williams’s mother, who is not identified, on January 11th, after Williams’s mother filed a suspicious persons report.

The FBI said in an arrest warrant on Sunday that Williams hasn’t been charged with theft, but only with illegally entering the Capitol and with disorderly conduct. It is not yet known when her initial court appearance will be.

Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, did not immediately respond to an inquiry. However, on January 8th, he did confirm that a laptop was taken from a conference room, but said “it was a laptop that was only used for presentations.”

Williams’ mother told ITV reporters that her daughter had taken a sudden interest in Donald Trump’s politics and “far-right message boards.” Her father told local law enforcement that he and his daughter went to Washington on the day of the protest but didn’t stay together, meeting up later to return to Harrisburg.

Williams’ mother told local law enforcement that her daughter packed a bag and left before she was arrested, saying she would be gone for a couple of weeks. She also changed her phone number and deleted a number of social media accounts, the FBI said. Court documents do not list an attorney for her.