A Chicago man pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot, court records show.
Athanasios Zoyganeles entered the plea to a charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. He could receive a prison term of up to six months when he is sentenced, which is scheduled for Sept. 30.
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Zoyganeles had planned on traveling to Washington for weeks before the attack, messaging one friend in December 2020 he was “down for whatever,” charging documents said.
“It’s time we take this country back,” Zoyganeles wrote, according to the complaint.
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At least three people, including a former high school classmate, provided information about Zoyganeles’ role in the breach to the FBI, records show.
Federal authorities searched video of the breach and said they spotted Zoyganeles standing outside the Parliamentarian doors while holding a piece of wood and smoking.
Last October, a close family member identified Zoyganeles in photos that depicted him in and around the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, court records show.
Zoyganeles is one of 30 known Illinois residents who have been charged as a result of the Capitol riot investigation, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
