Siblings from St. Clair County stormed the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 siege after voicing opposition to President Joe Biden and his victory in the 2020 presidential election, according to federal court records.
At least 897 people have been charged in connection with the riot, according to a database created by George Washington University’s Program on Extremism. That total includes former Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley.
The investigation started with a tip to the FBI in June 2021 that Kuecken and her brother had been inside the U.S. Capitol during the siege, according to an FBI agent’s statement of facts filed in federal court.
Investigators analyzed data obtained from Verizon through a federal search warrant that showed cell phones that utilized a tower servicing the inside of the U.S. Capitol during the riot. Agents focused on one cell phone number that a subpoena showed belonged to Smith.