PITTSBURGH — Ken Grayson of Bridgeville pleaded guilty Tuesday to breaching the U.S. Capitol in support of Donald Trump's election lies.
Grayson, 53, became a federal felon in pleading in the District of Columbia to interfering with police during a civil disorder.
Grayson, a QAnon believer who wore a big yellow Q on his jacket, had stormed the Capitol with Jennifer Heinl, the former wife of a Shaler police officer who was previously sentenced for her role in the insurrection.
Grayson admitted that he attended the Trump rally and then illegally entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing doors at about 2:20 p.m. and proceeded to the crypt. He also entered the rotunda area, where the mob was confronting police. The rioters began pushing against the officers and Grayson joined them. He live-streamed video of his conduct on his Facebook account and left at 3:07 p.m. Some of his pals back home told him to get out of there, but others encouraged him to steal items.
The FBI arrested him a few weeks later.
In previous court papers, prosecutors said Grayson had traveled to D.C. for other Trump rallies in November and December and boasted online about beating up "commies" there.
He had also talked to his family and friends about what he intended to do on Jan. 6, saying he would go to celebrate "after Pence leads the Senate flip."
He said that if Trump told his supporters to storm the Capitol, he would obey. He also indicated he wanted to kill Joe Biden, according to the government.
He will be sentenced in December and faces a possible maximum term of five years in federal prison.
Grayson is among two dozen defendants from Western Pennsylvania charged in the insurrection. The FBI has arrested some 870 people in all and the investigation is continuing.
