DETROIT — Siblings from St. Clair County stormed the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 siege after voicing opposition to President Joe Biden and his victory in the 2020 presidential election, according to federal court records.
The allegations emerged in court documents made public late Thursday charging Deborah Kuecken, 67, of Ira Township and Gary Smith, 71, of Casco Township, with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. They are among 19 Michiganians charged as part of a broader crackdown on people who rioted and broke into the U.S. Capitol as Congress met to count electoral votes following President Donald Trump's defeat.
At least 897 people have been charged in connection with the riot, which led to multiple deaths and physical harm to more than 140 members of law enforcement, according to a database created by George Washington University's Program on Extremism. That total includes former Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley.
