Missouri man who discussed taking firearms, knives to Capitol on Jan. 6 pleads guilty
An Independence man who prior to the Capitol riot discussed with others on Facebook taking firearms and knives to Washington on Jan. 6 has pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor charge.
Devin Kiel Rossman on Friday entered the guilty plea to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. He appeared in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia via video conference.
Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell set his sentencing for Dec. 9. Rossman faces a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment, a $5,000 fine and five years’ probation. He also is required to pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol building, which prosecutors say totaled $2.74 million.
As part of the plea agreement, Rossman agreed to allow authorities to review his social media accounts for postings around Jan. 6, 2021, and interview him about the events surrounding the Capitol riot.
According to a “statement of offense” signed by Rossman, he traveled by bus from Missouri to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, to protest Congress’ certification of the Electoral College.
“Prior to the trip, the defendant discussed plans with other individuals on Facebook to bring firearms and knives to Washington, D.C.,” the document said. “In one conversation, the defendant sent a picture of three knives and stated on January 5, 2021, that he intended to conceal the knives, ‘one for my boot, one for my waist and one for my pocket.’
“The defendant also texted pictures of firearms that he intended to bring to Washington, D.C.”
Rossman attended the pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally with his family on Jan. 6, the document said, then marched with other protesters to the U.S. Capitol. He entered the building about 2:19 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door, it said, then walked through the Crypt with a large group of people. He remained in the building for just under two hours, until about 4:23 p.m.
While in the Capitol building, the document said, Rossman received a Facebook message that said, “all over the computer capitol was stormed, u ok?’” Rossman replied from inside the building, “I’m in it.”
On Jan. 8, 2022, the statement said, Rossman admitted in private Facebook messages that he was trying to enter offices in the building. In one conversation, he said, “the office we found open was pelosis with her laptop open,” according to the document.
“When asked if he was ‘in there,’ the defendant responded, ‘yeah,’” the statement said. “The defendant sent pictures of the plaque above a doorway that read, ‘Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’ and pictures of four TV screens that were inside the office. The defendant stated in private messages ‘that’s pelosis office and her 4 tv screens…that was me waling in her office…STOP THE STEAL.’”
The statement said Rossman took several photos to prove that he’d been inside the building and sent them to people on Facebook. The document does not say whether Rossman actually took any weapons with him to D.C.
Rossman was arrested in May and initially charged with 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; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The other three charges — also misdemeanors — were dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea on the parading count.
Rossman is the 16th of 23 Missouri residents charged in connection with the Capitol riot to plead guilty. Of those, 10 have been sentenced — seven received probation and three were ordered to serve jail time of 30 to 45 days.
