Elk Grove Village man pleads guilty to breaching the U.S. Capitol during Jan. 6 insurrection

An Elk Grove Village man pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge Thursday for breaching the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in what he had previously described as his “biggest mistake.”

Marcos Gleffe, 39, faces up to six months in prison and $5,000 in fines. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9.

Gleffe had previously admitted to traveling from the Chicago area to attend a rally headlined by former President Donald Trump, which took place just before the violent attack of the Capitol in an act to disrupt the certification of the presidential election.

The suburban man was first identified by the feds from a tipster who saw him in a Facebook post from that day, court records showed. The FBI combed through cellphone data to determine Gleffe was inside the Capitol for nearly 15 minutes.

Last year, Gleffe allegedly admitted to entering the building but expressed regret saying he made “the biggest mistake going through the door” and that he “would not do it again if I could go back.”

Gleffe initially claimed he followed a group of people that declared they were “Storming the Capitol” and was seen on surveillance footage carrying a “TRUMP 2020 MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” flag, according to the original complaint.

The breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, interrupted a joint session of Congress that was in the process of affirming the results of the 2020 presidential election, which was won by Joe Biden. It is estimated that more than 2,000 rioters broke into the Capitol.

In the 19 months after the insurrection, more than 860 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states from crimes related to the breach. That includes over 260 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

Court document

Contributing: Tom Schuba