Ohioan Faces Federal Charges Connected To U.S. Capitol Riots

CLEVELAND — A former Cleveland Metropolitan School District employee faces several federal charges connected with the violent break-in at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Christine Priola of Willoughby is accused of breaking into the Senate chamber and videotaping a man sitting in Vice President Mike Pence's chair. She has been charged with breaking into a restricted federal building, violent entry, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and unlawful activities on Capitol grounds.

The FBI took Priola into custody Thursday morning, according to WKYC. She is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and was scheduled to make her first court appearance later in the day.

According to the affidavit against her, Priola was part of a group that surged past barricades and broke into the U.S. Capitol. She entered the Senate chamber, took photos of people inside the chamber and was videotaped moving around the Capitol, the affidavit said.

A photograph of a woman in a red coat and pants with the word "Trump" on them circulated on social media after the Jan. 6 riot. The photo showed the woman standing in the Senate chamber waving a cell phone.

Priola resigned on Jan. 7 from her position with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. In her resignation letter, she said she would not take the COVID-19 vaccine, would switch careers to expose pedophilia and complained about the way her union dues were used, Cleveland 19 reported.

The FBI received an anonymous tip on Friday that Priola was the woman in the photograph, the affidavit said. Investigators obtained a warrant, searched Priola's house and found a laptop, cell phone, several thumb drives and two desktop computers, as well as clothing, a sign and other materials suggesting that Priola had been at the Jan. 6 protests and riot, the affidavit said. The FBI on Tuesday searched Priola's phone and determined she was at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the affidavit added.