Man who helped steal Nancy Pelosi's laptop while storming the Capitol with his mother pleads guilty
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Rafael Rondon pleaded guilty to charges connected to the Capitol riot on Monday.
Rondon admitted to helping an "unknown male" steal a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.
The 25-year-old traveled to the Capitol with his mother, who also faces charges.
A 25-year-old New York man pleaded guilty on Monday to helping steal a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Rafael Rondon of Watertown, New York, pleaded in DC federal court to obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting in the obstruction of an official proceeding, the Justice Department announced in a press release.
The first count, a felony, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Rondon is set to be sentenced March 13.
According to court documents, Rondon and his mother, Maryann Mooney-Rondon, traveled to Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021 to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally. But they seemed interested in more than just protesting.
Rondon told investigators that he and his mother took the Metro into DC because "he did not think it was a good idea to drive his car into the city where he intended to break into the US Capitol," investigators detailed in court filings.
Just before 2:30 p.m. on January 6, 2021, Rondon and his mother illegally entered the Capitol building, eventually making their way to Pelosi's office, according to court documents.
Rondon then assisted an "unknown male" in stealing a laptop from the office by disconnecting wires and placing the laptop into the other man's bag, the documents say.
He and his mother each stole gas masks from the Capitol meant to protect members of Congress and their staff, before they eventually left the building, prosecutors also say.
As part of his plea deal, Rondon agreed to be interviewed about the Capitol riot by investigators before his sentencing and to let law enforcement agents review his social media accounts.
Rondon's mother has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and last month filed documents to get one of the charges dismissed.
When Rondon and his mother were arrested in October 2021, FBI agents seized what they say was an illegal sawed-off shotgun in his possession, for which he also faces charges.
Attorneys for Rondon and his mother did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
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