ABC News reports that Owen Shroyer just pleaded guilty to illegally entering a restricted area of the U.S. Capitol during the Capitol protests of Jan. 6, 2021.
The 33-year-old Shroyer, from Austin, Texas, is the host of InfoWars' The War Room with Owen Shroyer. Infowars is the website run by Alex Jones.
Shroyer entered the guilty plea in a federal Washington, D.C., court on Friday.
The crime that he pleaded guilty to - unlawfully entering a restricted area of the Capitol building - is a misdemeanor that carries with it a maximum prison sentence of one year.
Shroyer is among those Americans who are skeptical about the results of the 2020 presidential election. And so, prior to the Congress's certification of the Electoral College results - which took place on Jan. 6, 2021 - Shroyer urged his supporters to take action.
According to the court filing, Shroyer, On Jan. 5, 2021, called into Infowars and said:
Are we just going to sit here and become activists for four years or are we going to actually do something about this, whatever that cause or course of cause may be?
This, according to prosecutors, is one of several similar statements that Shroyer made to his supporters on Jan. 5, 2021.
The next day, Jan. 6, 2021 - the day of the Capitol protests - Shroyer was at the Capitol. Initially, he was only on the Capitol grounds. And, in a loudspeaker, he said such things as "We declare death to tyranny" and "death to tyrants." He also said:
Today we march for the Capitol because on this historic January 6, 2021, we have to let our Congressmen and women know and have to let Mike Pence know, they stole the election, we know they stole it, and we aren’t going to accept it.
Shroyer never entered the Capitol building on Jan. 6. But, he did make it to the top of the building's steps, where he led chants, such as "USA!" and "1776!" He also said such things as: "And so today, on January 6, we declare death to tyranny! Death to tyrants!"
Shroyer's attorney said that Shroyer's actions on Jan. 6 were only "part of a political demonstration."
The attorney highlighted the fact that Shroyer "did not engage in violence or in any attempt to impede or obstruct but mainly observed" And, the attorney argued that Shroyer, as a journalist, "had an obligation to be close to the action."
Shroyer made a similar statement in his own defense, and Shroyer also claimed he and Jones, as they saw the crowd get out of control, attempted to calm things down.
But, the prosecution responded:
Harkening to the last time Americans overthrew their government in a revolution while standing on the Capitol steps where elected representatives are certifying a Presidential Election you disagree with does not qualify as de-escalation.
Shroyer is now scheduled to be sentenced in September.
