Two Elmhurst women charged with breaching U.S. Capitol during Jan. 6 insurrection

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two women from Elmhurst have been charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Trudy Castle and Kimberly DiFrancesco both face misdemeanor charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

According to the charges, federal investigators believe the two women are related, but the feds don't know the exact nature of their relationship. Castle has also gone by the names Trudy DiFrancesco and Trudy von Keudell. Both women have cell phone accounts with the same subscriber address in Elmhurst.

The feds say, nine days after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, the FBI office in Dallas got a tip from someone who received a text message from DiFrancesco, with photos of the riot inside the Capitol.

Investigators later obtained 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.

While investigating, federal investigators questioned one of DiFrancesco's neighbors in September 2021, and the neighbor identified DiFrancesco in the video footage. Agents also questioned an employee at the apartment complex where Castle lived from 2014 through June 2021, and that employee recognized Castle in the video footage.

Court records show Castle was arrested on Wednesday, and DiFrancesco was arrested on Thursday.

It's unclear when the women will make their first court appearances.