A former Cleveland school therapist who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, violation of the U.S. Capitol has been sentenced to 15 months in prison, with one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. its role in the decertification. of voters in the 2020 presidential elections.
In a plea agreement, Christine Priola, 50, of Willoughby, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one felony count of obstructing an official proceeding. Her attorney, Charles E. Langmack II of Willoughby, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
More:From both sides of the aisle, local and state lawmakers decry the Capitol devastation
According to court documents, Priola illegally entered the restricted area on the east side of the Capitol building after joining the front lines of the riots that disrupted congressional voter certification. She then climbed the stairs and entered the Capitol building through the east rotunda doors, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Priola entered shortly after the first protesters overpowered law enforcement officers guarding the entrance, then moved into the Senate chamber and entered the restricted area of the floor, the Justice Department said.
While in the chamber, she held a sign and stood in the Senate chamber for about 10 minutes. However, she was inside the Capitol building for about 30 minutes, according to the DOJ.
According to an FBI statement in the case, the bureau received a tip via Twitter on Jan. 8, 2021, that identified Priola in one of the images of people inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
The agent who filed the affidavit said he learned Priola had resigned from Cleveland schools on Jan. 7 and sometime between Jan. 6 and Jan. 12, she deleted photos, videos, chats and messages from Jan. 4 to Jan. 12.
Priola cited conspiracy theories in resigning from Cleveland schools
Beacon Journal partner News 5 Cleveland reported Wednesday that Priola’s Jan. 7 resignation was submitted the same day the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department released a series of photos of persons of interest in crimes related to the Capitol riots.
One photo shows Priola holding a sign that reads in part “Children Scream for Justice” and making a phone call to another person in the vice president’s seat.
In her resignation letter, which was in her News 5 personnel file obtained by the school district, Priola repeated the baseless conspiracy theories associated with QAnon:
I am leaving CMSD for the following reasons:
1. I will not receive the coronavirus 19 vaccine in order to return to personal teaching.
2. I will change paths to expose the global evil of human trafficking and pedophilia, including our government and child service agencies.
3. I disagree with my obligations to unions that help fund people and groups that support the killing of unborn children.
I will be working on filling out paperwork and will not be seeing students virtually.
The core of QAnon is the false belief that Donald Trump was elected to root out an underground child sex trafficking ring run by Democratic politicians and celebrities.
News 5 reported Priola’s Cleveland schools personnel file shows she was first hired in 2000 and has been continuously employed by the district since 2014.
Priola was arrested on January 14, 2021 and had faced a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and financial penalties of up to $70,000, according to her plea agreement.
According to the DOJ, more than 850 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the US Capitol breach, including more than 260 people charged with assault or obstructing law enforcement.
Other residents of the area are accused of the violation of January 6
A Trumbull County man, Stephen Michael Ayres, who was 38 at the time of his arrest in January 2021, was charged with obstruction of justice/Congress, unlawful entry into a restricted building or premises, and forcible entry and disorderly conduct. disorderly on the grounds of the Capitol.
In a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to unlawful entry into a restricted building or premises and was sentenced in September to 24 months of probation, 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $500 restitution.
The cases of Devin Steiner and his brother-in-law Adam Miller, both of Wayne County, remain pending. They were arrested in May.
Cases are also pending against Justin Michael Smith, 20, of Brunswick, and Kimberly Wargo, 55, of Olmsted Falls, and her son, Colton Wargo, 26, of Westlake, who were also arrested in May.
The overall investigation into the Capitol breach remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit the Capitol Breach Investigations website at www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-investigation-resource- pay.
Eric Marotta can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.
