Crest Hill Couple Pleads Guilty To Role In Jan. 6 Attack On U.S. Capitol
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A couple from southwest suburban Crest Hill pleaded guilty on Friday to misdemeanor charges for their role in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol building.
John and Amy Schubert both pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, and face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
They are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17.
The Schuberts were arrested on federal charges in July.
According to the charges, the FBI received an anonymous tip on March 2, regarding YouTube video titled "The Insurrection of The United States Capitol," showing a woman wearing a black jacket with the text "Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 422 Joliet IL."
The FBI was able to use geolocation data to identify six Google accounts associated with the 815 area code, where Joliet is located, two of them belonging to women, including Amy Schubert's Google account, according to the charges. Agents then tracked down Amy Schubert's Facebook account and Illinois Secretary of State records, and matched her Facebook pictures and driver's license photo with the images of the woman in the video.
After obtaining a search warrant for her Google account, the feds were able to confirm her phone pinged at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and found images and videos on her phone showing her husband, John, inside the Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6. The feds matched those images with photos of John Schubert from his wife's Facebook account and his Illinois driver's license photo.
One neighbor said the Schuberts had been the subject of complaints before.
"They posted Trump signs multiple times on this public property, and we called multiple times to get them to take it down," the woman said.
"You know, it's not surprising some people were really upset and wanted to go to a rally, and then wanted to go protest," said neighbor Dale Jacobs.
At least three other people from Illinois have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
In August, 53-year-old Bradley Rukstales, of Inverness, pleaded guilty to his role in the riot.
In an exclusive interview with CBS 2's Charlie De Mar the day after the attack on the Capitol, Rukstales admitted he entered the Capitol building during the riot, but insisted "I had nothing to do with charging anybody or anything or any of that."
"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time - and I regret my part in that. That's all I'm comfortable saying," he said.
However, federal prosecutors said he picked up a chair at the bottom of a stairwell inside the Capitol and threw it at officers who had retreated down the corridor.
Last month, Rukstales was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
The Sun-Times reports two downstate men - Bruce Harrison and Douglas Wangler - also have pleaded guilty, and face sentencing later this month.
According to published reports, at least 19 Illinoisans are among the hundreds charged for their roles in the insurrection at the Capitol.
