7 Springfield residents were charged in the Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. Here’s where their cases stand.
A year ago, the world watched as American citizens stormed the U.S. Capitol while lawmakers inside were set to confirm the results of the presidential election.
Property was destroyed, lives were lost, lawmakers were forced to take shelter, and the FBI director declared it an act of "domestic terrorism."
Over the past year, more than 700 people have been charged with unlawfully entering the Capitol building, and hundreds of them have pleaded guilty to participating in the events of that day.
In the Springfield area, seven people have been charged with participating in the Jan. 6 riot. And of those seven, five have pleaded guilty.
Zachary and Kelsey Leigh Ann Wilson
The first to plead guilty were Kelsey Leigh Ann Wilson, a former teacher who worked at a Christian school in Springfield, and her husband, Zachary Wilson. Each pleaded guilty to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building.
They are set to be sentenced on Jan. 27 and face a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
More: Former Springfield teacher and her husband plead guilty in Jan. 6 riot at US Capitol
The couple was also charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge as a part of an agreement with prosecutors.
The two were charged after the FBI received a screenshot of a Facebook conversation where Zachary Wilson admitted he was inside the U.S. Capitol building and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the riot.
According to court documents, surveillance footage was able to prove that Wilson and his wife were inside the Capitol building.
Their lawyer, Kira West, could not be reached for comment.
Brothers Michael and Stephen Quick, Zachary Martin
Springfield brothers Michael and Stephen Quick as well as Zachary Martin also pleaded guilty to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building in December. The trio was also charged with three other counts but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge as a part of a plea agreement.
More: Three Springfield men plead guilty to participating in Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot
Martin’s involvement in the riot was discovered after multiple people sent tips to the FBI that he had live-streamed himself inside the Capitol building, according to court documents.
The Quick brothers both submitted statements about their involvement voluntarily, with Stephen Quick telling investigators that he was “ashamed” of what he had done. He also provided investigators with photos that were taken from inside the Capitol building, according to court documents.
They all face a maximum sentence of six months behind bars and a $5,000 fine, as well as $500 in restitution. They are scheduled to be sentenced in March of this year.
Dee Wampler’s law firm, which is representing the three men, released a statement in December after they pleaded guilty.
"Mr. Martin and the Quick brothers are hardworking, longtime residents of the Springfield, Missouri area," the firm said in the statement. "The three men have taken full responsibility for their actions at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Moving forward, the men remain humbled by the judicial process."
Cara Hentschel and Mahailya Pryer
Two Springfield women, Cara Hentschel and Mahailya Pryer, have also been charged in connection to the Jan. 6 riot, but have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, which include knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the capitol building.
More: 2 more Springfield women charged in Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol
According to court documents, the two women were brought to the FBI’s attention after the agency received a tip which included pictures from Hentschel’s Facebook page of the two at the U.S. Capitol.
The FBI also used cell phone location data from their phones to determine that they both were inside the Capitol, according to court documents.
Court documents say investigators also were able to get access to Hentschel’s Facebook messages through a search warrant where she wrote, “we storm peloskis [Pelosi's] office and took her beer. She drinks Corona.”
Both women declined to sit down with the FBI for interviews initially with Pryer saying she didn’t think she’d done anything wrong and didn’t want to incriminate herself, while Hentschel told a third party that the FBI “could not prove she committed any crimes if she refused to speak to them,” according to court documents.
Both women are being represented by federal public defenders and neither could be reached for comment by press time. The next hearing for both women is set for February.
The Jan. 6 riots left five people dead and caused thousands of dollars in damage to the historic building. Former President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives who accused him of inciting the violence by pushing the lie that the 2020 election had been stolen from him.
Lawmakers have established a committee to investigate how and why the Jan. 6 riot happened.
Some Republican lawmakers have pushed back on the investigation, which has interviewed hundreds of witnesses, though high-profile witnesses like Steve Bannon and Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have refused to cooperate.
The committee is set to conclude its investigation this year and will likely release its preliminary findings this spring. However, if Republicans regain control of the House in the 2022 elections, the committee could be disbanded before its final report is released.
Jordan Meier covers public safety for the Springfield News-Leader. Contact her at jmeier@news-leader.com or on Twitter @Jordan_Meier644.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Court status of Springfield residents charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
