WASHINGTON, DC – Klete Keller, a two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer, received a sentence of probation and home confinement for his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The 41-year-old Colorado Springs resident was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon.
Keller was identified in FBI court filings as being present inside the U.S. Capitol during the riot, amidst supporters of then-President Donald Trump. He was notably wearing a jacket with an Olympic patch and “USA” lettering. Court documents reveal that while Keller’s actions inside the Capitol did not involve physical violence, he engaged in obscene chants against top Democrats and resisted law enforcement efforts to remove him from the Rotunda.
Following the incident, Keller disposed of his Olympic jacket and destroyed his cellphone. He later turned himself in to authorities after a probable cause affidavit for his arrest became public.
Judge Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, sentenced Keller to 36 months of probation and six months of home confinement. This decision marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings related to the Jan. 6 events.