A University of Kentucky senior is facing federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to court records.
Gracyn Dawn Courtright is accused of knowingly entering a restricted building, engaging in disorderly conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and theft of government property, according to a federal criminal complaint.
FBI investigators reviewed screenshots from Courtright’s Instagram and Twitter accounts that indicated she was in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 and went into the U.S. Capitol, according to court records. A federal affidavit in the case also mentioned a story by the Kentucky Kernel that outlined Courtright’s involvement in what happened at the U.S. Capitol.
Courtright was criticized on social media after she posted video from inside the Capitol. A petition that was started on Change.org calling for her to be expelled from UK has been signed more than 1,450 times.
The charge of theft of government property stems from images obtained by investigators that show a woman carrying around a “Members Only” sign. Investigators said the person in the images is Courtright, and that an officer took the sign away from her at some point while she was moving around the building, according to the affidavit.
On Jan. 14, FBI agents went to Courtright’s father’s West Virginia home, where she was staying, according to the affidavit. Courtright’s father said he wasn’t comfortable with her talking to investigators, but said that if she was charged with a crime he would “assist in ensuring she turned herself in to authorities.”
The criminal complaint and affidavit were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Saturday and signed by a judge, according to court records.
The FBI continues to ask the public for help in identifying people involved in the attack at the U.S. Capitol. Tips, photos or videos can be submitted to the FBI at fbi.gov/USCapitol or called in to 1-800-CALL-FBI or 800-225-5324.
(Photo: Gracyn Dawn Courtright at the US Capitol, courtesy of Outkick.com)
The Lexington Herald-Leader
