Missouri woman seen with Pelosi sign charged in DC riot

WASHINGTON – A Missouri woman has been charged with taking a splintered name plate belonging to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Emily Hernandez, of Sullivan, was charged Friday with with five counts, including disorderly conduct that impedes the conduct of government business and the stealing or disposing of government property. She had not been arrested as of early Saturday afternoon, according to court documents. Her home phone number rang unanswered.

The FBI received online tips from at least three people saying Hernandez was the person seen in TV news footage holding up a broken engraved piece of wood bearing the words “House” and “Nancy” during the storming of the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump, an agent wrote in an affidavit.

The riot happened Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to vote to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral win. Five people died in the mayhem.

Law enforcement officials across the country have been working to locate and arrest suspects who committed federal crimes and have brought dozens of cases in federal court and the District of Columbia Superior Court.

Sullivan is located about 60 miles (97 kilometres) southwest of St. Louis.