Illinois sisters plead guilty to their roles in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two sisters from Illinois have pleaded guilty to joining the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trudy Castle, of Chicago, and Kimberly DiFrancesco, of Elmhurst, both pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of misdemeanor parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. They now face up to six months behind bars, although their sentence will be up to a judge. Both also agreed to pay $500 in restitution as part of their plea deals.
The sisters admitted to joining the crowd that broke into the Capitol, disrupting a joint session of Congress to confirm the Electoral College results of the 2020 presidential election.
Video footage showing DiFrancesco wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, green pants, gray gym shoes, black jacket, black backpack, and black hat or gaiter as she entered the U.S. Capitol through the Senate Wing door around 2:20 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021.
Alongside her in the footage was Castle, seen wearing a white jacket; dark pants; and a red, white, and blue knit "Trump" hat with a pom-pom. Castle also was carrying several small American flags and a black satchel, according to the charges.
Video footage shows the two women walking around inside the Capitol, while DiFrancesco appeared to be talking on a handheld radio, before both of them left the building shortly after 3 p.m.
The feds say the two women did not immediately leave the area but instead met with Castle's adult son while outside. Then, around 4:20 p.m. Castle and DiFrancesco tried to go back inside the Capitol, but by that time police were pushing away rioters, and the two women left around 4:33 p.m.
The FBI became aware of their involvement in the riot when they got a tip from someone who received a text message from DiFrancesco, with photos of the riot inside the Capitol.
The women are now scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 22.