A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday sentenced two Chicago-area brothers to six months of probation, including 60 days on home detention, for illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during the attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
In rejecting jail time, U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan said the conduct that Christian Kulas and his older brother, Mark Kulas Jr., engaged in was “somewhat minimal from other rioters” who attacked police, damaged property or otherwise tried to disrupt the government that day.
Hogan also noted that the brothers and their family, including their immigrant parents, have been subjected to sustained attacks on social media since they were charged, including physical threats and anti-immigrant “animus” that the judge said was “very unfortunate.”
Kulas Jr., 27, of Lake Forest, and Christian Kulas, 24, of Kenilworth, pleaded guilty in December to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor that called for up to six months in jail.
The brothers are sons of the wealthy owner of a North Shore maid service, Kulas Maids, and attended Lake Forest High School.
A criminal complaint against Christian Kulas said the younger brother was captured on social media and surveillance images wearing a Burberry coat and a hat with the Donald Trump campaign slogan “Keep America Great.”
Video clips on an Instagram account associated with Kulas also showed people at a rally where Trump was speaking and video of rioters at the Capitol steps after the rally.
Mark Kulas Jr. was charged in late November, five months after his younger brother.
As part of their plea agreement, each of the brothers agreed to pay a $500 restitution fee. Damages to the Capitol building on Jan. 6 totaled about $1.5 million, according to court records.
According to a statement of offense, the brothers flew from Illinois to Washington the day before the attack. They attended the Trump rally, then marched to the Capitol building. Both wore hats with Trump’s political slogans.
The brothers spent about 20 minutes in the Capitol building, entering after rioters earlier had forced the doors open, according to the court document.
“There is no evidence that Christian Kulas or Mark Kulas Jr. otherwise assisted the rioters using force against the police line in an effort to open the doorway,” and the brothers returned to Illinois on Jan. 7, the statement says.
The Kulases have remained free on personal recognizance bonds since being charged.
The brothers are among at least 27 Illinoisans charged in the Capitol attack, which has evolved into the largest criminal investigation in the country’s history.
_____
