DENVER (KDVR) — A Colorado man has pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers after his involvement in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Robert Gieswein, 26, of Woodland Park, was dressed in camouflage the day of the attack and, according to the FBI, told a person with a microphone he was there to “execute these fascists.”
The FBI said Gieswein was in a group of protesters that pushed up the stairs of the West Plaza at the Capitol just before 2 p.m. and entered the building through a window at 2:13 p.m.
Once inside, the FBI said he sprayed an “aerosol irritant” at two Capitol police officers at 2:29 p.m. Gieswein also sprayed other officers throughout his time in the Capitol, including a group that was arresting another rioter at 2:34 p.m.
The FBI said officers tried to arrest Gieswein after that, but he was able to escape and left the building shortly after 3 p.m. after he and a group of others were unable to get into the hallway leading to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
Federal authorities have said Gieswein appeared to be an adherent of the Three Percenters militia movement and ran a private paramilitary training group called the Woodland Wild Dogs. Throughout the day of Jan. 6, 2021, he was seen with members of the Proud Boys group.
Gieswein is set to be sentenced on June 9. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and financial penalties. As part of the plea agreement, a sentence ranging between 41 and 51 months was recommended.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.