North Texan Jenna Ryan Tells CBS 11 She Deserves Pardon After Arrest For Alleged Role In Capitol Riot
North Texas Realtor Jenna Ryan, Arrested For Alleged Role In Capitol Riot, Kicked Off PayPal
CARROLLTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - North Texas realtor Jenna Ryan, who was seen in photos and video at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, arrived home Friday, Jan. 15 after turning herself in to authorities earlier in the day.
"It was a very strange experience to be arrested by the FBI," she told CBS 11 outside home. "They're very professional and it was a very strange feeling. I have a lot of faith in God and I was just praising him and praying and I was just knowing God would take care of me in this situation."
The FBI had executed a search warrant at Ryan's home in Carrollton a short time earlier.
Ryan, who took a private plane to Washington D.C. on the day of the riot, faces charges of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
"I just want people to know I'm a normal person. That I listen to my president who told me to go to the Capitol. That I was displaying my patriotism while I was there and I was just protesting and I wasn't trying to do anything violent and I didn't realize there was actually violence," Ryan said. "I'd just like to apologize for all of the families that are affected by any of the negative environment and I'd just like to say I really love people and I am not a villain that a lot of people would make me out to be, or people think I am, because I was a Trump supporter at the Capitol."
Ryan told CBS 11 she would like President Trump to pardon her.
"I think we all deserve a pardon. I'm facing a prison sentence. I think I do not deserve that and from what I understand, every person is going to be arrested that was there, so I think everyone deserves a pardon, so I would ask the President of the United States to give me a pardon."
Ryan posted a picture of her posing outside of the building in front of a broken window with a caption that read, ""Window at the capital (sic). And if the news doesn't stop lying about us we're going to come after their studios next."
"I don't feel a sense of shame or guilty from my heart. I feel like I was basically following my president. I was following what we were called to do. He asked us to fly there. He asked us to be there. So I was doing what he asked us to do," Ryan said. "I do feel a little wronged in this situation because I'm a real estate agent and this has taken my company. This has taken my business. I am being slandered all over the internet, all over the world and all over the news and I'm just like a normal person."
Ryan is the second North Texas resident to be taken into custody for alleged involvement in the Capitol riot.
Air Force veteran and Grapevine resident Larry Brock was arrested last week after he was seen inside the Senate Chamber wearing body armor and holding zip ties.
WATCH EXCLUSIVE JENNA RYAN INTERVIEW HERE
HERE'S THE LATEST ON THE CAPITOL RIOT AND AFTERMATH FROM CBS NEWS
The FBI has opened about 300 cases against rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol, as the investigation into the assault is expected to grow exponentially.
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) January 16, 2021
Now prosecutors are looking into whether there was coordination among people or groups within the mob, @jeffpeguescbs reports pic.twitter.com/MZdBHoXWWP
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