Nevadan pleads guilty to conspiracy, assault at U.S. Capitol
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A 32-year-old Las Vegas man faces up to 28 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to conspiracy and assault charges in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Prosecutors say Nathaniel DeGrave and two others arrested in connection with the uprising traveled together and attempted to prevent a joint session of Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s victory.
DeGrave pleaded guilty in federal court in Washington Monday to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.
Prosecutors say DeGrave, Ronald Sandlin, 34 of Shelby County, Tennessee and Josiah Colt, 35 of Meridian, Idaho chatted on social media in December 2020 about shipping guns as part of a plan to interfere with the transition of presidential power.
They said DeGrave pushed against officers guarding the Capitol, forced open a door to let a mob inside and gained access to the Senate Gallery where he shouted “take laptops, paperwork, take everything.”
DeGrave was arrested Jan. 28, 2021. Colt pleaded guilty to obstruction last July and awaits sentencing. Sandlin has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
More than 300 of the 830 people charged with federal crimes related to the riot have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors punishable by no more than one year in prison.
