Rachel Powell, Mercer County Mother Of 8 Wanted In Connection To Capitol Riots, Taken Into Custody
MERCER COUNTY (KDKA/AP) - A Mercer County woman wanted for her involvement in the riots at the U.S. Capitol last month has been taken into custody.
According to law enforcement, Rachel Powell was taken into custody on Thursday night in New Castle.
She is facing charges of obstruction, depredation of government property, entering restricted space without authority and violent entry/disorderly conduct.
BREAKING: Rachel Powell is charged with obstruction, destruction of property, entering restricted space without authority, disruption. @KDKA
— Andy Sheehan (@AndySheehankdka) February 5, 2021
Powell made her initial appearance in court Friday afternoon. The feds sought her detention while her attorney said he'll ask for her release pending trial.
Attorney Michael Engle said Powell is "certainly not going anywhere" and "has never had any trouble with the law before."
"Ms. Powell is certainly not a risk of flight given her strong family ties to the community, the fact that she has young children which she homeschools. She is not an individual of means that would even allow her to flee," he said.
Powell just made her initial appearance before US Magistrate Patricia Dodge. The charges were read to her. A detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. The government has asked for her to be detained. Her attorney tells @KDKA she is not a flight risk and should be released. pic.twitter.com/ANC7EvhAgO
— Andy Sheehan (@AndySheehankdka) February 5, 2021
Powell said little during her court appearance and will remain behind bars at the Butler County Jail at least until a detention hearing on Tuesday.
FBI agents swarmed Powell's vacant house in Sandy Lakes on Thursday, searching for any evidence to help build a case against her.
Until Thursday, the FBI had declined to even call Powell a suspect, but yesterday issued short statement, indicating they secured a search warrant for the raid on the house and they were looking for Powell.
"We are conducting court authorized law enforcement activity at that location. We are seeking the whereabouts of Rachel Powell," the FBI said.
Powell can clearly be seen in videos taking a battering ram to the Capitol in the Jan. 6 assault. She's become known as the lady with the bullhorn, seeming to have knowledge of the Capitol building's floor plan, instructing insurrectionists where to go.
According to the charging document, the rioters in the room are heard saying, "what's the floor plan" and "we need a plan. We need enough people. We need to push forward." Through her bullhorn, Powell tells them "coordinate together if you are going to take this building" and says you "have another window to break."
If convicted on all charges, Powell could face a maximum sentence of 47 years in prison.
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