WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — A former occupational therapist with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District from Willoughby has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding for her actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
Christine Priola, who sent a resignation letter to CMSD on Jan. 7, 2021, the same day she appeared in a series of photos released by the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department of persons of interest in unrest-related offenses at the U.S. Capitol.
RELATED: CMSD staffer who resigned last week has been charged for her involvement in U.S. Capitol riots
On or about Jan. 8, via a Twitter post, the FBI received an anonymous tip that Priola was the woman depicted in the photos. The post also identified her as being employed with CMSD.
On Jan. 6, Priola made her way to the U.S. Capitol grounds, carrying a large sign expressing her views, then illegally entered the restricted area on the east side of the Capitol Building, according to the DOJ. She joined the front lines of the riot, climbed the steps and entered the Capitol through the East Rotunda Doors. She went inside soon after the first rioters overcame law enforcement, then moved to the Senate chamber and entered the restricted floor area, still carrying a sign. She was in the Senate chamber for about 10 minutes, and inside the Capitol Building for about 30 minutes.
Sometime between Jan. 6 and Jan 12, 2021, Priola deleted photos, videos, chats and messages from between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7, 2021 from her cellphone, DOJ officials stated.
Priola was arrested in Ohio on Jan. 14, 2021, about a week after federal agents entered her home in Willoughby with evidence boxes and searched her house and garage. News 5 was on scene but did not identify her at that time.
Her arrest warrant stated that FBI agents recovered a laptop, two desktop computers, several thumb drives, an iPhone, clothing, a sign and other materials consistent with the photos taken of Priola on Jan. 6.
Agents searched Priola's phone and were unable to recover photos, videos, chats or messages from Jan. 4 to Jan. 7, but they did recover location data showing the device was just northeast of the U.S. Capitol at 4:23 p.m. on Jan. 6.
Priola is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28, 2022, according to the DOJ. She faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
RELATED: Prosecutors ask for continuance in case against CMSD staffer allegedly involved in Capitol attack
In the 18 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 850 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 260 charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
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