Three MO men plead guilty in Capitol riot case. One told FBI he was ashamed of his actions
Three Springfield men charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection — including one who told the FBI he was “ashamed” of his actions — pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to misdemeanors.
Zachary Martin and brothers Michael and Stephen Quick each entered a guilty plea for one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building. Their hearing was held via video conference in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Are you pleading guilty because you are, in fact, guilty?” U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich asked the men.
“Yes, your honor,” each answered.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 17. The men each face a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine, and also are required to pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol building. Prosecutors say repairs to the building totaled about $1.5 million.
The men are the sixth, seventh and eighth of 17 Missouri residents charged in the Capitol riot case to enter guilty pleas. St. Louis County resident Nicholas Reimler pleaded guilty on Sept. 17 to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building and was sentenced to three years’ probation earlier this month. Zachary and Kelsey Wilson of Springfield each pleaded guilty to the same “parading” charge on Sept. 27, as did Carey Jon Walden of Kansas City on Oct. 26 and Paul Westover of Lake St. Louis on Dec. 6.
Authorities have charged about 700 people in connection with the Capitol invasion. So far, more than 100 have pleaded guilty, the majority to misdemeanors.
Martin, 45, Michael Quick, 44, and Stephen Quick, 49, all faced federal misdemeanor charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. Three of the four counts were dropped in exchange for their guilty pleas.
At a previous hearing, Springfield attorney Dee Wampler, whose firm represents all three men, told the court that they were lifelong residents of the area, had cooperated with authorities and had no serious criminal records. Wampler, 81, died Oct. 8 in St. Louis, where he was working on a trial.
The FBI became aware of Martin’s alleged involvement in the riot after receiving a tip that he had live-streamed a video of himself on Facebook from inside the Capitol building, court documents said. Another person, who was a Facebook friend of Martin, provided the FBI with a screenshot of the video Martin had posted. And three others who said they knew Martin told the FBI that they saw Martin in the live-stream video that was taken inside the Capitol. One gave the FBI Martin’s phone number.
Court documents said the Quick brothers voluntarily spoke to the FBI, saying that they had attended the pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally and later entered the Capitol building during the invasion. Stephen Quick told the FBI that “a change came over the crowd” as it neared the Capitol and that he felt “ashamed” about entering the building. He said he was inside the Capitol for about 10 minutes and provided the FBI with video he’d taken from there.
Michael Quick told the FBI that he entered the building through a broken window, according to the charging documents. Inside, he said, he saw police in a hallway wearing riot gear. He said he didn’t realize he was trespassing because he thought police were letting people inside, according to court documents.
Michael Quick said he was in the building for five to 15 minutes. His goal, he told the FBI, “was to show support so Congress would investigate irregularities in the election and do something about it.”
