Woman Charged In Theft Of Pelosi's Laptop Released From Jail

Dustin Jones

January 21, 2021 / 5:02 pm

caption: Riley Williams, 22, of Harrisburg, Pa., was released from jail into her mother's custody Thursday. She's charged in connection with the theft of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Twenty-two-year-old Riley Williams was arrested Monday for allegedly participating in the theft of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the attack on the Capitol building on Jan. 6. She was released from jail Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

Williams, of Harrisburg, Pa., faces multiple charges, including theft, trespassing and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Carlson ordered Williams be released, with travel restrictions, into her mother's custody. Williams' case will continue in federal court on Monday in Washington, the AP reported. "The gravity of these offenses is great," Carlson said. "It cannot be overstated."

Williams will have to wear an ankle monitor and may leave her mother's home only for work and some other court-approved reasons, as reported by the Patriot-News.

Her lawyer, Lori Ulrich, told the court, "It is regrettable that Miss Williams took the president's bait and went inside the Capitol."

An unidentified former romantic partner told the FBI that Williams had intended to sell the computer to a Russian intelligence service, NPR previously reported. Pelosi's chief of staff Drew Hammill said that a laptop "only used for presentations" had been taken from Pelosi's office.