Phoenix couple accused of illegally entering US Capitol during Jan. 6 breach

PHOENIX — A Phoenix couple is accused of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach in Washington, D.C., according to court documents.

David and Kiera Pracht each face the following four misdemeanor charges, according to a criminal complaint filed Aug. 5 in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia:

• Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority.
• Knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business or official functions.
• Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds.
• Parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

How did FBI build case against Phoenix couple?

The case against the Phoenix couple, who moved from Illinois to Arizona in November 2020, started when the FBI received anonymous tip about photos posted to Kiera Pracht’s Facebook account, according to the criminal complaint.

One of the photos showed the couple in a plane and was captioned “DC….here we come!!”

Other photos showed the Prachts outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, before supporters of then-President Donald Trump broke into the building while Congress was in the process of certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.

David Pracht was wearing a sweatshirt that said “Indict the Big Guy” and Kiera Pracht had on a red “Make America Great Again” hat.

FBI investigators used surveillance video footage, email records, witness accounts and other evidence to confirm that the Prachts entered the Capitol after the East Rotunda doos were breached, according to the criminal complaint.

The Phoenix couple allegedly remained in the building illegally for 21 minutes.

More than 12,000 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including multiple suspects with Arizona ties, according to the Department of Justice.

The most well known local case is that of Jacob Chansley, who became the national face of the Jan. 6 attack for his face paint, bare and tattooed torso and fuzzy hat with horns.

After serving 27 months in federal prison for a felony conviction, Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” attempted to run for an Arizona congressional seat as Libertarian but failed to file enough signatures to qualify for the primary ballot earlier this year.

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