Records: Jan. 6 defendant seeking plea deal

Gary White, The Ledger
·2 min read
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Corinne Montoni, one of five current or former Polk County residents indicted in the U.S. Capitol attack, is negotiating for a plea bargain, according to court records.

FBI agents arrested Montoni in March 2021 at her Lakeland home, making her the first Polk County resident arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Montoni, 32, faces charges of obstruction of an official proceeding; entering and remaining, including disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; disorderly conduct for parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building; and aiding and abetting the commission of those crimes.

Previously: Lakeland woman charged in Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol remains free on bond

More: Judge delays hearing for Lakeland Jan. 6 defendant Corinne Montoni

This photo, taken on Jan. 6. shows Corinne Montoni of Lakeland inside the U.S. Capitol during the riot by Trump supporters, according to an FBI affidavit.
This photo, taken on Jan. 6. shows Corinne Montoni of Lakeland inside the U.S. Capitol during the riot by Trump supporters, according to an FBI affidavit.

Montoni had a virtual status conference scheduled for May 24 before Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Prosecutors filed a motion to postpone the conference until July 19, and Montoni’s attorney agreed, according to a court filing.

“The parties request the additional time to engage in plea negotiations and review preliminary discovery productions,” the motion said.

It was the first indication in court records that Montoni’s counsel is negotiating a plea agreement.

Montoni's FBI arrest affidavit included photos allegedly showing her inside the Capitol during the riot that forced members of Congress to flee their chambers. The affidavit also quoted from her social media posts and text messages.

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This photo, included in the FBI affidavit that led to Corinne Montoni's arrest, shows the Lakeland woman inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, an FBI agent reported.
This photo, included in the FBI affidavit that led to Corinne Montoni's arrest, shows the Lakeland woman inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, an FBI agent reported.

In a post on Parler before the gathering in Washington, she wrote, “Insurrection Act coming in hot … void the fraudulent 2020 election, arrest these traitors and restore order and faith in our justice department. GitMo is readyyyyyy,” according to the FBI.

Former President Donald Trump falsely asserted that then-Vice President Mike Pence had the authority to block the counting of Electoral College votes. Echoing that idea, Montoni allegedly wrote on Parler, “If Pence betrays us, we riot.”

More than 800 people have been indicted in connection with the U.S. Capitol attack. As of May 6, about 280 had entered guilty pleas, the Justice Department reported, with 232 of those for misdemeanor charges. Five defendants had been found guilty at trial, the Justice Department reported.

The invasion of the Capitol interrupted proceedings in the U.S. House and Senate to verify the results of the 2020 presidential election. In a speech shortly before the attack, Trump encouraged supporters to pressure members of Congress not to certify the election of Joe Biden.

Four other current and former residents of the Lakeland area have been indicted for alleged involvement in the Capitol riot, three of them on charges that include assaulting law-enforcement officers. One of them, Jonathan Pollock, has remained a fugitive since his indictment last June.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Jan. 6 defendant from Lakeland seeking plea deal, according to court records