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Plea Agreement Hearing Set For West Virginia Woman In Capitol Riot

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A plea agreement hearing is set next month for a West Virginia woman accused of taking a "Members Only" sign near the Senate chambers as she accompanied supporters of former President Donald Trump in storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The hearing for Gracyn Dawn Courtright of Hurricane is scheduled for July 20 in federal court in Washington, D.C., according to court documents. The notice of the hearing was made last week. Courtright remains free on personal recognizance bond.

Courtright is charged with theft of government property under $1,000 and four counts involving her conduct in a Capitol and restricted building.

Eight people have pleaded guilty in federal court to riot-related offenses. Courtright is one of at least four others who apparently have agreed to plead guilty, according to court records.

According to an FBI affidavit in support of the criminal complaint and arrest warrant, a witness saw a video of Courtright in the halls of the Capitol and messaged her on Instagram asking if she was there. The witness provided a screenshot of the messages to the FBI.

Courtright admitted she went in, prompting the witness to express embarrassment, according to the FBI.

Courtright allegedly said, "I'm not embarrassed so you shouldn't be," bragged that the event was making "history" and said she thought "it was cool."

When the witness accused her of treason, Courtright said she did not know what treason was, according to the affidavit. Before Courtright deleted her Instagram account, she wrote, "Infamy is just as good as fame. Either way I end up more known. XOXO."

According to the affidavit, in two Instagram photos in which she is raising her arms in the air, Courtright wrote, "can't wait to tell my grandkids I was here!"

The affidavit said photos of a woman seen at the Capitol on Jan. 6 were similar to the physical features of Courtright's driver's license and her Instagram account. The FBI said she was wearing a black coat and a hat with a yellow band at the Capitol.

A woman whose clothes and physical features matched those of Courtright was seen on a video near the Senate chamber carrying a "Members Only" sign before a law enforcement officer confiscated it. A newspaper photo also appeared to place Courtright in a crowd that initially clashed with police in the halls of the Capitol, the FBI said.

The affidavit said Courtright at the time of her arrest was a senior at the University of Kentucky. According to the university, she was majoring in mathematical economics.

(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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