Bradley Rukstales speaking to local media. In a phone conversation we had the other day, he told me that he believes he got too involved and he has learned how dangerous it is to get too deeply involved in a political movement instead of focusing on the love and service that Christ calls of us.. David Fitzgerald, 48, a tattoo artist from Roselle, was charged with a curfew violation and unlawful entry, according to police records posted online. Were taking it very seriously.. Campaign finance records show that he contributed thousands of dollars to Donald Trumps 2020 campaign. Dec 31, 2022 For 25 years die-hard Michigan Wolverines fans have endured a roller coaster of agony and close calls. His wife, Jeanette, said her husband, a disabled veteran, never went into the Capitol building itself. On Thursday, Michael Sherwin, acting U.S. attorney for D.C., said all options are on the table for charging members of the mob including sedition charges. As police yelled for people to leave, one of the officers brushed up against Rukstales from behind his arm stretched out toward officers. I think its horrible that somebody broke their way in, she said. ", The company said Andrews "acknowledged on social media that she took part in 'storming the Capitol. Rukstales, 52, has been a campaign contributor to Trump and was the CEO and president of Cogensia, a marketing consulting firm based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The chief executive officer of a company in Schaumburg and a tattoo artist from Roselle were among supporters of President Donald Trump who got arrested after a violent mob stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C.,this week. Former Inverness tech CEO Bradley Rukstales has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for his role in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Rukstales issued a statement late Thursday evening, admitting he was among the mob, and said the arrest was his first. The records show Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty Thursday and was ordered to stay out of Washington until his next court date, set for June. David Fitzgerald, of Roselle, also faces charges of unlawful entry and a curfew violation, according to Metropolitan police. Fitzgerald and others who were arrested along with him had been given at least three warnings to vacate at about 7:15 p.m. local time but did not comply, according to the police report obtained Thursday by WBEZ and D.C. court records. Though the company respects diverse political beliefs and the right to peaceful protest, he said, we unequivocally condemn the actions yesterday of the people who crossed police lines, threatened the safety of law enforcement and lawmakers, and attempted to threaten our countrys democratic process. Chicago real estate agent Libby Andrews, foreground, poses at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Only a day after 53-year-old Bradley Rukstales entered the Capitol building, the now-former Cogensia CEO posted a lengthy statement on his Twitter account. The FBI was informed of a screenshot on Twitter showing Sidorski inside the Capitol building wearing a black sweatshirt with American Supremacist on the front. Earlier this year, Rukstales, of Inverness, pleaded guilty to the following charges for taking part in the Capitol riot. Rukstales is the CEO of Cogensia, according to the firms website. They released the statement below. Rukstales denounced the violence of Jan. 6th in his statement. As with dozens of other defendants who pleaded guilty to that charge, three other charges were dropped at sentencing under the terms of the plea deal. Rukstales emphasized that latter point. The joint session of Congress was suspended until shortly after 8 p.m. Vice President Pence remained in the United States Capitol from the time he was evacuated from the Senate Chamber until the session resumed, according to the complaints. Sidorski was charged with four counts related to violent entry into the restricted grounds of the Capitol, CNN reported. Part of HuffPost Politics. Please enter valid email address to continue. He pleaded not guilty to all counts on 3/30/21. Rukstales, 52, has been a campaign contributor to Trump and was the CEO and president of Cogensia, a marketing consulting firm based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Funny. Rukstales is the CEO of a suburban Illinois company. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. He did not return messages but his wife said he had spent the night in jail in Washington. Clouds increase with chance of evening showers, Chicago area escapes brunt of latest storm, but cold, Skilling: Storm out, mild temps in for the weekend, Prep underway for winter storm southwest of Chicago, Chicagos new pro rugby team builds quickly in 2023, Michael Jordan holy grail shoe collection for sale, Photos: Patrick Kane plays his 1st game with Rangers, Blackhawks make three more trades ahead of deadline, Ex-Blackhawk Patrick Kanes Rangers debut spoiled, Last Comiskey: Sox fans film a trip back to 1990s, Want a WGN News Super Fan Friday Flyover? He was among 13 charged with various federal offenses, many for unlawful entry, according to the Department of Justice. He was taken into custody inside the Capitol complex after a group of rioters chased officers from the Capitol crypt (underneath the Capitol Rotunda) down into the Capitol Visitor Center. sentenced her to 60 days in federal prison. Heres how. Defendants like Jenna Ryan made post-arrest public statements reflecting a belief that she was immune from punishment because of her social status and a personal message that she would get off Scott free, Rukstales lawyer wrote. In a statement after his arrest, Rukstales described himself as a peaceful and law-abiding citizen who condemned the violence and destruction that took place in Washington. But federal prosecutors pointed to surveillance footage that showed Rukstales, less than 30 seconds after rioters tossed chairs at officers down a staircase, tossing a chair in the direction of a line of officers. Four people died, one of thema woman from San Diegowho was shot and killed inside the Capitol. Bradley Rukstales, the 52-year-old CEO and president of Cogensia, confirmed his arrest by Capitol Police for unlawful entry in Washington on Wednesday to WBEZ. He was fired by the company the same day he was hit with federal charges for his role in the riot. She told the publication she "never saw anything destructive taking place, but that the group she was in sang the national anthem and Twisted SistersWere Not Gonna Take It.". Individuals in the crowd forced entry into the U.S. Capitol, including by breaking windows.. Nazis killed more than 1 million people at Auschwitz, a concentration camp in Germany, in a five-year span during World War II. Bradley Rukstales was fired as CEO of the marketing firm Cogensia after he was charged in the riots with one count of illegally entering the Capitol and a count of violent entry or disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Mellis is being held at Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk and is scheduled for a remote bond hearing on Friday in the U.S. District Court in Norfolk. Many are charged with unlawful entry or violent entry. "The officer immediately turned around, brought Rukstales to the ground, and he and another officers dragged Rukstales behind their defensive line to be arrested," the charges alleged. Fitzgerald also was charged with a curfew violation. . The CEO of a data analytics firm who was arrested during the U.S. Capitol riot has been terminated from his role, the company announced Friday. Rukstales pleaded guilty in August to a misdemeanor offense of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building as part of a plea agreement. In the 2020 election cycle, Rukstales gave more than $25,000 to then-President Trump's campaign and Republican committees, according to The Associated Press. Do you have a press pass? the officer asked. Bradley F. Rukstales is a white man from Illinois, United States. Ives, a former. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Sean Carlo Cordon, the third rioter sentenced Friday, received just probation. Rukstales agreed to speak to CBS affiliate WBBM in Chicago, which taped him describing how the rally descended into chaos. The station captured his quiet suburban life in Inverness, an upscale village in Cook County, Illinois. Rukstales is accused of throwing one of those chairs. She was photographed on the east steps not far from the door, wearing a Trump knit cap and making peace signs in a throng of people, but said she did not enter the building. There were signs of a violent riot everywhere, and he willingly joined it, federal prosecutors wrote. Rukstales, CEO of . He was among those arrested in Washington, D.C. for his role in storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6. He has also lived in other parts of the U.S. including California, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Emailus. I mean, it was great to see a whole bunch of people together in the morning, and hear the speeches, but, uh, yeah, it turned into chaos, he recalled late Thursday. The men, 23, were exiting a building about 2 a.m. in the 100 block of West Kinzie Street when a fight broke out between them and three other people. BLM had a free pass all summer. Following their arrests for their alleged part in the insurrection, Robertson and Fracker were both fired by the police department. Could new DNA tech crack the JonBenet Ramsey case? He was further ordered to pay Restitution of $500 and Special Assessment of $10. Sentencing held on 11/12/2021, he was sentenced to 30 days of incarceration. Fired tech CEO from Inverness pleads guilty in US Capitol siege on Jan. 6 Bradley Rukstales, who lost his job after being charged in the siege of the U.S. Capitol, is the first Illinoisan to be. A third Illinois man, 23-year-old Siham Raju, was arrested. The time stamp on the video is 7:21 p.m. Washington time. Court records indicate Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty and is due back before a judge in June. WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Criminal complaints against Mark Jefferson Leffingwell and Christopher Michael Alberts were the first to be unsealed in the federal court in D.C. Each contained a description of the moment when Vice President Mike Pence and members of the House and Senate were told to evacuate their chambers. A spokeswoman for. Rukstales was one of a small number of Capitol riot defendants who were actually arrested on Jan. 6. He was released on personal recognizance on 1/12/21. Bradley Rukstales (Bradley F. Rukstales) is the former president and CEO of Cogensia, a data analytics company. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? He was among 13 charged Thursday with various federal offenses, many for unlawful entry, according to the Department of Justice. No problem.. . Controversy over display by wife of @properties CEO reignites after Trump rally. Fitzgerald's wife told NBC 5 her husband was there "to support [President Donald Trump" and was "just trying to leave" when he was arrested. SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - A man whose role in the U.S. Capitol riot caused his firing at an Illinois tech company pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor. Rukstales said he was. "It turned into chaos," Rukstales said of the riot when he talked to De Mar on Jan. 7. Bradley Rukstales was president and CEO of Cogensia, a tech company in Schaumburg, Ill., when he entered the Capitol with hundreds of radical supporters of former President Donald Trump. Rukstales'. On Wednesday, Rukstales was arrested on the upper level of the Capitol, near the U.S. House of Representatives, during the riot by supporters of President Donald Trump, court records show.. Next time (and there WILL be a next time) we will have learned and we will be stronger, Caldwell said in a message to others after the meeting, according to court documents. In a statement Thursday night, Rukstales apologized for his actions. It took at least three officers to get Rukstales under arrest after he refused to comply with orders to leave the building, prosecutors said. My decision to enter the Capitol was wrong, and I am deeply regretful to have done so. Brad Rukstales is an Illinois businessman who served as the CEO of data analytics company Cogensia and was among those arrested in Washington, D.C., for his role in storming the U.S. Capitol on. Joel Schiltz, senior vice president and Chief Operating Officer of Cogensia has been named Acting CEO. . Three other people died after suffering medical emergencies related to the breach, said Robert Contee, chief of the citys Metropolitan Police Department. I hope they come for me my videos will show the peace and the lies on the news. She added that the CEO threw a chair in the direction of the officers, but nobody was ever in danger of being hit. Foul play was not suspected. Then on Friday, the company announced he had been terminated by the Board of Directors "effective immediately.". The GM and coach seem to be more cohesive than Ryan Pace was with Matt Nagy and John Fox. We are resolute in our commitment to holding accountable anyone responsible for these disgraceful criminal acts, and to anyone who might be considering engaging in or inciting violence in the coming weeks know this: you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law., Rukstales appeared to address his involvement in a statement on Twitter, saying "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.". U.S. Capitol Police reported Rukstales arrest on Thursday. The campaign contributor to President Trump said the first arrest of his life was the result of extremely poor judgment as he followed hundreds of others through an open set of doors to invade the Capitol which resulted in one woman being fatally shot, three others dying from medical emergencies and a Capitol Police officer succumbing to injuries. As a patriotic citizen, I hope and pray that the people of our nation will move forward united by the many commonalities we share. The death camps gate read, Arbeit mact frei, which translates in English to work makes freedom, the FBI affidavit states. A suburban tech company executive who was among dozens of people arrested Wednesday in Washington, D.C., after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol has been charged in federal court and fired from his job. A Chicago-area man who lost his job as CEO of a tech firm because he participated in the Jan. 6 post-election unrest at the U.S. Capitol was sentenced Friday. It said that, following the declaration of a 6 p.m. curfew in D.C., a Metropolitan Police officer was escorting people past a police line at 7:25 p.m. and noticed a bulge on Alberts right hip. It said Alberts was also wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a backpack. NBC Chicago could not independently reach Rukstales to verify the remarks. Keep poking us.. Bradley Rukstales of Inverness,. Lehr noted that Rukstales traveled from Illinois to attend former President Donald Trumps rally, which devolved into a riot. The complaint against Alberts alleges he was identified using a Maryland drivers license. Prosecutors are accusing Caldwell, 66, of planning anti-government activities with members of the extremist militant group, dating back to the aftermath of the November election. Mr. Rukstales actions were his own; he was not acting on behalf of the company nor do his actions in any way reflect the policies or values of our firm. Some defendants are accused of bringing weapons to Capitol Hill. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols also ordered Bradley Rukstales, of Inverness, Illinois, to pay $500 in restitution, court records show. The Chicago-based firm @properties said on Twitter it fired Libby Andrews after she posted on social media about storming the Capitol, saying the company does not condone violence, destruction or illegal activities., Chicago real estate agent Libby Andrews, foreground, poses at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. '", Andrews told Crain's Chicago Business that she was not part of the violence and was with a different crowd on another side of the Capitol building. Joel Schiltz, senior vice president and Chief Operating Officer of Cogensia, has been named Acting CEO. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. #GoBlue 109 181 1,702 My decision to enter the Capitol was wrong, and I am deeply regretful to have done so, Rukstales said. HuffPost reported Feb. 10 that Hemenway was released from prison in 2013 after serving five years on rape, sexual battery and criminal confinement charges. I think there will be real violence for all of us next time. A Chicago real estate agent, who was at the scene that day, was also fired from @properties after posting on social media about her attendance. (U.S. DIstrict Court records). Fitzgerald posted a video that was taken near the Capitol on his Facebook page at about 7 p.m. Wednesday , a few hours after the violent insurrection. First published on November 4, 2021 / 9:57 PM. Rukstales was fired by Cogenias board after his arrest. YouTube Tips Bradley Rukstales of Inverness, Illinois, on Friday, November 12, 2021, was sentenced to 30 days in prison and ordered by U.S. Di A Chicago-area tech CEO was arrested and charged with unlawful entry for entering the US Capitol building in the riots on Wednesday, the US Capitol Police said on Thursday. I'm sorry for my part in it," Rukstales told De Mar on Jan. 7. The man, 28, was shot in the left shoulder about 12:45 p.m. Saturday while in the 1000 block of West 59th Street. The head of a marketing firm outside Chicago who was arrested during the Capitol siege says storming the building was the single worst decision of his life. The right IN ONE DAY took the f***** U.S. Capitol. Authorities identified Steele-Smith by reviewing surveillance footage and comparing her Facebook photos to her drivers license. "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 in the Capitol building to see what was taking . Court documents show numerous Facebook posts, selfies, and videos connecting to Hiles to events at and inside the Capitol, according to court documents. I had no idea people were breaking in and that destruction was happening, she said. According to court documents, Packer was arrested by FBI on Jan. 13 in Norfolk on a warrant out of the District of Columbia. Others were photographed ransacking the building. Pro-Trump rioters who invaded the building also stole at least two laptops and one iPad from the offices of three Democratic lawmakers. I think photos for the news were staged. On Jan. 15, three charges were filed against Hiles with Matador Charters, a Virginia Beach charter fishing company. Bradley Rukstales, 53, of Inverness was sentenced to 30 days in prison and ordered to pay $500 in restitution. Theres a curfew, another officer said. Experts say some could face the rarely used seditious conspiracy charge. The former chief executive of a tech company in suburban Chicago who lost his job after he threw a chair inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot was sentenced Friday to 30 days imprisonment.. Hemenway pleaded not guilty to the charges against him on Friday, Feb. 12. That is why I came to Washington, D.C. on that day, and brought my family.. Both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hourslong occupation of the complex before it was cleared Wednesday evening. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper dubbed Ryan a cheerleader for the Jan. 6 attack and sentenced her to 60 days in federal prison, which shell begin serving in January. Andrews was fired by @properties after posting on social media about "storming the Capitol," though she said she never entered the building and was unaware anything illegal was happening. She said her social media post about storming the Capitol was made in jest as she was having a glass of champagne back at her hotel, unaware of the chaos going on inside the historic building. All rights reserved, Man Dies at Cook County Jail Less Than a Day After Being Booked, These Starved Rock Tiny Cabins Are Perfect For a Weekend Getaway, New Ranking Names Most Expensive Cities In Illinois and These Chicago Suburbs Top the List, Body of Missing Genoa Man Recovered From River: Authorities. It was the single worst personal decision of my life, the execs statement continued. They were the latest in a series of posts Fitzgerald uploaded to social media over the last few days documenting his road trip to Washington, a visit to the Lincoln Memorial and the pro-Trump demonstrations. I do not condone his actions that have led to those charges. As a successful suburban Chicago businessman with a masters degree who has lived a life free of apparent economic hardship or family strife, Rukstales knew better than to join a mob in breaching the Capitol, hurl a chair in the CVC, and further beleaguer outnumbered and endangered police officers, prosecutors said. "Cogensia condemns what occurred at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, and we intend to continue to embrace the values of integrity, diversity and transparency in our business operations, and expect all employees to embrace those values as well. Judge Carl Nichols is allowing Rukstales to turn himself in at a later date. Rukstales was fired from Cogensia on the day he was charged federally. We've received your submission. U.S. Capitol Police, who are charged with protecting Congress, turned to other law enforcement for help with the mob that overwhelmed the complex and sent lawmakers into hiding. Rukstales was one of two suburban men arrested and charged during the riot aimed at thwarting a peaceful transfer of power Wednesday, authorities said. The time is now! A federal judge sentenced a former Schaumburg CEO to 30 days in jail Friday for his role in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach. The six individuals, Cindy Fitchett, Michael Curzio, Douglas Sweet, Terry Brown, Bradley Rukstales, and Thomas Gallgher, were removed from the crowd, placed in handcuffs, and arrested. Steele-Smith was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do and knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business or official functions. The documents said that at about 2 p.m. certain individuals in the crowd forced their way through, up, and over the barricades and officers of the U.S. Capitol Police, and the crowd advanced to the exterior facade of the building. As Rukstales descended the stairwell to the CVC less than 30 seconds after besieged officers were forced to hastily retreat down it chairs that had been thrown at those officers lay strewn about the floor. 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 in the Capitol building to see what was taking place inside, Rukstales claimed. Rukstales also apologized to his family, colleagues and fellow countrymen for his actions. I have no excuse for my actions and wish that I could take them back.. When I learned about the rally on January 6, it seemed to me that momentum was growing, and that the event would be an important constitutional moment in our republics history. Rukstales is the CEO of Cogensia, according to the firm's website. Among other things, he is alleged to have explored plans to bring weapons into Washington, D.C., using pickup trucks or boats to transport them across the Potomac River at a critical moment.
