Jan. 6 riot suspect freed from house arrest to attend Renaissance Faire

A Pennsylvania woman accused of helping to steal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s computer during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol will be freed from house arrest to attend the state’s Renaissance Faire for the second time in a month.

Riley Williams of Mechanicsburg, Pa., was released from jail weeks after the 2021 uprising and remanded to the custody of her mother. U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Carlson ruled at the time that travel restrictions would be imposed on the 25-year-old, adding that the severity of her alleged offenses “cannot be overstated.”

Williams was given permission on Wednesday to attend Saturday’s gathering of fantasy enthusiasts in the Keystone State, according to CBS News.

Riley Williams

She was also allowed to visit the the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire after it began on Aug. 20, which according to Lancaster Online, promised “jousting competitions, renditions of Shakespeare from the mud pits and, of course, turkey legs larger than your head.”

The fair’s opening weekend began with a dog-friendly “Fairies & Fantasy” theme meant to appeal to all age groups. This weekend’s theme is a “Viking Weekend,” which includes axe-throwing competitions and a treasure hunt.

Williams stands accused of charges including theft, obstruction and violent entry and disorderly conduct at the nation’s Capitol. Pennlive.com reported that Riley was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet upon her release.

Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire

Video from inside the Capitol appears to show Williams encouraging fellow Trump loyalists to ascend a staircase in their attempt to disrupt the certification of President Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.

Her public defender called it “regrettable that Miss Williams took the president’s bait and went inside the Capitol.”

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Former president Donald Trump had called followers to the Capitol on Jan. 6 to entertain the fantasy that he’d won the 2020 election. Roughly 900 people have been arrested in connection with that event.

In addition to being a Trump supporter, Williams has a history of posting pro-Nazi content online, according to Netherland-based investigative team Bellingcat.

Pennlive.com reported in June that prosecutors has asked a Pennsylvania judge not to loosen restrictions on Riley, who they contended hadn’t been in compliance with terms of her confinement.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to charges against her.

With News Wire Services