Conservative Social Media Influencer Arrested for Involvement in Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
Isabella DeLuca, a 24-year-old conservative social media influencer, has been arrested on charges related to her participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. According to court documents, DeLuca is accused of helping to steal a table that was used to assault law enforcement officers during the chaotic events of that day.
DeLuca, who was arrested in Irvine, Calif., on Friday, faces several charges, including theft of government property, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct, and demonstrating in a Capitol building. The complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleges that DeLuca livestreamed the riot and actively participated in the violence.
The FBI’s complaint states that DeLuca was seen passing the stolen table out of a window and then using her cellphone to record video or take photographs of the rioting. She later deleted several social media posts related to the attack in an apparent attempt to obstruct the investigation.
Despite her arrest, DeLuca’s mother, Gina DeLuca, stated that her daughter was released the same day and declined to comment on the charges. The complaint reveals that DeLuca first came to the FBI’s attention when she deleted social media posts related to the riot, and later admitted to being at the Capitol on Jan. 6, though she denied entering the building.
Surveillance footage and subpoenaed bank records corroborated DeLuca’s presence at the Capitol on the day of the riot, showing that she traveled from New York City to Washington, D.C., and made a purchase near the Capitol before the events unfolded. The footage also captured DeLuca entering the Capitol through a broken window and participating in the theft of furniture, including the table that was used as a weapon against law enforcement.
DeLuca’s case is just one of over 1,200 individuals who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, which was fueled by false claims of election fraud propagated by then-President Donald J. Trump. Federal prosecutors have described the investigation into the events of that day as the largest in the history of the Justice Department.
