WASHINGTON – Two more Coloradans have been arrested after allegedly breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to prevent the certification of the 2020 election results following a “Stop the Steal” rally attended by former President Donald Trump hours earlier.
Eric Zeis, 37, of Monument, and Justin Schulze, 31, of Colorado Springs, were arrested Monday and face felony and misdemeanor charges after reportedly storming the U.S. Capitol with hundreds of other Trump supporters that day as they chanted “Stop the steal!” and “Our house!” as rioters banged on glass windows before breaching the U.S. Capitol, according to a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia.
Arresting documents allege Zeis and Schulze drove from Colorado to Washington, D.C., to attend the rally in which the former president spoke, and later made their way to the east side of the Capitol building, “where they joined a large group of rioters that had forced United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers to retreat from their positions to the East Rotunda doors.”
Prosecutors claim both men “positioned themselves in a large group of rioters” outside the East Rotunda doors that pushed against Capitol officers so the group could get inside the Capitol. At around 2:25 p.m., court documents show, the group succeeded and the “duo entered shortly after.”
The complaint states both Zeis and Schulze made their way through various parts of the Cpaitol, including the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, the hallways between the House Chamber and the Speaker’s Lobby, and the Statuary Hall Connector, “where they emersed themselves in a large group confronting officers guarding the U.S House of Representatives chambers.”
Both men then retraced their steps throughout the Capitol but before exiting, stopped in the Rotunda, where Zein is alleged to have joined a group that “collectively pushed officers.” The two men left the Capitol shortly after 3 p.m.
In the nearly three years since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 people have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 peopled charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony, DOJ officials said in a news release Tuesday. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-225-5324 or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Zeis and Schulze are among the nearly two dozen Coloradans who are either facing federal charges or who have been sentenced by the feds for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. The other Coloradans involved in the events that day are:
- Todd Branden Casey of Denver wasarrested on Aug. 30 in Georgetown, Colorado. He faces felony charges of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, plus multiple misdemeanor charges.
- Jacob Clark of Colorado Springs (previously lived in Trinidad)was arrested in April 2021 on multiple charges in connection to the Jan. 6 riot. He demanded police officers to stand down during the attack. He was sentenced on Oct. 30, 2023 to nearly three years in prison and a year of supervised release.
- Glen Wes Lee Croy of Colorado Springs,pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing inside the Capitol in August 2021. He wassentenced in November to 90 days of house arrest along with 14 days in a community correctional facility. He called himself an idiot.
- Tyler Earl Ethridge of Colorado Springswas arrested in July 2022 in Denver and faces six federal charges for his participation in the riot. He is a pastor who graduated from Charis Bible College in Woodland Park.
- Robert Gieswein of Woodland Parkwas arrested and faced multiple charges in January 2021 in connection to the Jan. 6 riot, including assault on an officer "with a spray canister, temporary barrier, and baseball bat," according to his arrest affidavit.He pleaded guilty to a felony charge in early March 2023.He was sentenced to 48 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
- Jonathan David Grace of Colorado Springswas arrested on March 30, 2023 on felony and misdemeanor charges. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2023 to assaulting a law enforcement officer.
- Logan Grover of Eriewas charged in April 2021 with disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds, and demonstrating in a capitol building. Hepleaded guilty in July 2022. He served in the Army Reserve for nearly 10 years and was deployed to Iraq, according to The Denver Post. He was sentenced to a month of house arrest and two years' probation in February 2023.
- Thomas Patrick Hamner of Peytonwas arrested and charged in November 2021. Videos allegedly showed him fighting with Capitol and Metropolitan Police. In September 2022, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
- Lisa Ann Homer of Colorado Springswas arrested in November 2021 in Colorado Springs. She faces charges of illegally entering the capitol, disorderly and disruptive conduct on capitol grounds, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building. She was sentenced to three years' probation, 60 hours of community service, a $5,000 fine and $500 restitution.
- Jennifer Horvath of Colorado Springswas arrested and charged in May 2022 on multiple federal charges. She was located after FBI agents linked her to her boyfriend Glen Wes Lee Croy (listed above), who was also arrested, charged and sentenced for his involvement. She was sentenced in November 2022 to 36 months of probation, including 90 days of home confinement and 14 days at a residential facility, plus a $500 restitution.
- Klete Keller, an Olympian from Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding after storming the U.S. Capitol in September 2021. He faces 21 to 27 months in prison. His sentencing date is TBD.
- Avery Carter MacCracken of San Miguel County was charged in December 2021 with assaulting officers in the Jan. 6 riot. He was arrested in Norwood on six federal charges. He was captured on videos and in photos fighting with U.S. Capitol Police officers. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing a law enforcement officer on Oct. 20, 2023.
- Patrick Montgomery of Douglas County was charged in January 2021 with knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. According to an affidavit for his arrest, federal investigators were tipped off by someone who saw Montgomery in photos from inside the Capitol posted to Facebook. He pleaded not guilty.
- Daniel Michael Morrissey was charged in federal court in November 2021 for illegally entering the U.S. Capitol. He pleaded guilty to disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and was sentenced to 45 days of incarceration and 26 months of probation in mid-August.
- Hunter Palm of Colorado Springs was arrested in May 2021 after he allegedly entered U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office on Jan. 6. He was identified to federal investigators by a family member. He was arrested in May 2021 and indicted the following month. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
- Jeffrey Sabol of Jefferson County is accused of dragging a police officer down steps to be beaten by an American flag outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. A federal judge denied him bail in April 2021. After the attack, prosecutors said he tried to fly to Switzerland.
- Timothy Williams of Trinidad was charged in June 2021 with multiple federal crimes. FBI agents found Williams on videos of the rioters inside the Capitol that day.
