First Illinoisan set to plead guilty in U.S. Capitol breach: Court records

The former CEO of a Schaumburg tech firm appears set to become the first Illinoisan to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach, records show.

A plea agreement hearing for Bradley Rukstales, of Inverness, has been set for Tuesday afternoon. He is charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Rukstales’ defense attorneys did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Monday.

The feds have so far charged at least 13 Illinoisans in connection with the Capitol breach, which they say has led to what will likely be the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history.

Rukstales was the first person from Illinois to face federal charges as part of that investigation. Rukstales was discovered amid a crowd of people inside the U.S. Capitol who were making loud noises, kicking chairs, and throwing an unknown substance at officers, according to a charging document filed Jan. 7.

Officers at the Capitol had ordered members of the crowd to leave, but they responded by shouting and cursing at police, according to the document. Six people, including Rukstales, were near the front of the crowd and refused to leave, it alleged.

Rukstales later apologized in a statement in January. “In a moment of extremely poor judgment following the Jan. 6 rally in Washington, I followed hundreds of others through an open set of doors to the Capitol building to see what was taking place inside,” he said.

“My decision to enter the Capitol was wrong, and I am deeply regretful to have done so. I condemn the violence and destruction that took place in Washington.”

Rukstales had been CEO of the Schaumburg tech firm Cogensia but was fired by the board.