Missouri elementary school teacher charged in Capitol riot 6 months after her husband

Kelsey Leigh Ann Wilson is seen Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C. FEDERAL COURT DOCUMENTS 

Six months after her husband was charged in connection with the U.S. Capitol insurrection, a Springfield Christian elementary school teacher faces the same allegations.

According to federal court documents unsealed this week, Kelsey Leigh Ann Wilson, 29, was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

She is the 14th Missouri resident to face charges for allegedly taking part in the deadly Jan. 6 riot. The charging documents do not say why authorities waited for months to charge Kelsey Wilson.

The FBI became aware of her husband Zachary Wilson’s alleged involvement in the Capitol breach in January after receiving an anonymous tip, the documents say. The tipster said Zachary Wilson had posted on his Facebook account that he’d entered the Capitol and that, while inside, went into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. The tipster provided a screenshot of Zachary Wilson’s now-deleted Facebook post, which indicated that Kelsey Wilson was with him at the time he entered the Capitol. In the post, a friend asked Zachary Wilson: “Did you go inside the capital building?”

“First ones in!!!!” Wilson replied. “First thing we found was Pelosi’s office.”

The friend said, “you’re lucky you aren’t in jail. That wasn’t real smart.”

Wilson responded: “I ddn do anything wrong.”

FBI investigators interviewed Kelsey and Zachary Wilson on Jan. 18 at their home in Springfield, the documents say. During the interview, both said they had been on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6 but denied entering the building. An FBI agent interviewed Zachary Wilson a second time at his home on Jan. 20, the documents say. Zachary Wilson then admitted entering the Capitol building but said his wife did not go inside.

Wilson also had recorded an 18-second video taken inside the speaker’s office, which he provided to the agent, according to the documents.

“Wilson stated the reason he entered the U.S. Capitol was because he wanted his ‘voice to be heard’ as he was a strong supporter of President Donald Trump,” the documents say. “Wilson said that he did not participate in any destruction of property while at the U.S. Capitol.“

On Jan. 22, the documents say, an FBI agent interviewed a co-worker of Kelsey Wilson’s who had accompanied the Wilsons to Washington, D.C. That person said he/she waited on the Capitol grounds when the couple went inside the building, according to the documents. The Wilsons were inside for about 30 minutes, the person told the FBI.

The person shared photos and videos with investigators. One photo showed Kelsey Wilson wearing a black, white and gold beanie, white pants, a gray long sleeved shirt and a “Keep America Great Again” pro-Trump flag wrapped around her body. On Jan. 23, the FBI received a DVD from the U.S. Capitol Police which contained surveillance video that showed Zachary and Kelsey Wilson walking inside the building on January 6 in the same hallway where Pelosi’s office is located.

Zachary Wilson was charged on Feb. 12 and arrested at his Springfield home. On Feb. 22, the documents say, the FBI received more video surveillance footage that showed the Wilsons walking around the Capitol Rotunda.

Both Wilsons have been released on a personal recognizance bond pending trial. Kelsey Wilson turned herself in on Wednesday and made her first court appearance in federal court in Springfield that same day.

According to a court document, the couple have two children ages 6 and 7, and Kelsey Wilson is a teacher at Dayspring Christian School in Springfield. She had just started the job at the beginning of July, the document shows, but didn’t expect to hold the position for long.

“The defendant advised she is a first grade teacher,” it says, “and believes her employment will be terminated following her arrest.” https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article253638718.html