3 Illinois men plead guilty in U.S. Capitol breach case, admit they climbed in through broken window

Three Illinois residents pleaded guilty Thursday to their role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, admitting they entered the building through a broken window and wandered near U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s suite.

Cody Vollan of Flossmoor, Anthony Carollo of Lockport and Jeremiah Carollo of Glen Carbon pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor. They were originally charged early this year.

Their sentencing hearing has been set for Sept. 13.

Vollan and the Carollos are among 27 known Illinoisans charged in the Capitol breach, which has led to what has been described as likely the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history.

Other Illinois residents who have pleaded guilty include Bradley Rukstales of Inverness, Douglas Wangler and Bruce Harrison of the Danville area, John and Amy Schubert of Crest Hill, Christian Kulas of Kenilworth and his brother, Mark Kulas Jr. of Lake Forest.

Rukstales is so far the only known Illinois resident to face jail time as a result of the breach. He was sentenced to 30 days behind bars, and records show he has completed his sentence.

Law enforcement found Vollan and the Carollos after investigators “became aware” of their mobile devices’ presence around the Capitol the day of the breach, based on information gathered through a search warrant served on Google, court records show. The FBI then checked to see whether the associated email addresses matched anyone lawfully within the Capitol. They did not.

The feds also say they were able to find people in video footage “who appear fully consistent” with the appearances of each man, based on their driver’s license photos.

Then, in October and early November, the feds say they interviewed all three men and a family member. Vollan and the Carollos admitted they were inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court records. They also identified themselves in the images investigators had tracked down.

As part of their plea Thursday, the men admitted they entered the Capitol through a broken window and spent more than 15 minutes walking around, visiting the Capitol Crypt and Rotunda and the “vicinity of Speaker Pelosi’s suite.”