Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Former U.S. Olympic Swimmer Klete Keller Sentenced For Storming Capitol On January 6

Klete Keller; Camera footage of Keller during the Capitol riot
Donald Miralle/Getty Images; FOX31 Denver/YouTube

41-year-old Keller, a five-time Olympic medalist, including two golds, admitted in a letter that he had been 'terrible example for young people who looked up to me' for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection in 2021.

Former U.S. Olympic swimmer Klete Keller has been sentenced to 36 months of probation and six months of home detention after pleading guilty to a federal felony in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot. Keller, a two-time gold medalist, was spared prison time and has been ordered to perform 10 hours of community service monthly.

The Olympian was captured in Capitol rotunda videos wearing a Team USA jacket amid the pro-Trump mob on January 6, 2021. Initially indicted on seven federal counts, Keller reached a plea deal, pleading guilty to obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail.


You can see a news report about Keller's sentencing below.

Former Olympian sentenced for Jan. 6 riotwww.youtube.com

Federal prosecutors recommended 10 months in prison, citing Keller's actions as "unconscionable" and a "stain" on the country's narrative. However, considering his cooperation and remorse, his defense urged for a lighter sentence. Prosecutors argued that probation would send the wrong message to the public.

They wrote:

"A former Olympian with an opportunity to see up close America's ideals and represent its position in the world, Keller was in a unique position to know better."
"He should be punished, and his punishment should include imprisonment. But he has also shown genuine remorse and, more importantly, he has tried to right his wrong for nearly three years."


In response, Keller's defense highlighted his three years of pre-trial detention and his status as a convicted felon. They emphasized his remorse and stated he had been a "flawless probationer."

During the sentencing, Judge Richard Leon acknowledged Keller's genuine remorse and exceptional cooperation with the government, justifying the probationary sentence. He urged Keller to share his experiences with young adults and encouraged his success going forward.

In a letter dated January 23, 2023, Keller expressed deep regret and took responsibility for his actions. He admitted to unlawfully entering the Capitol and influencing Congress's Electoral College vote certification. Keller acknowledged setting a poor example for his admirers, especially as a former Olympian.

He wrote:

"I stand before you feeling ashamed and profoundly embarrassed. On January 6, 2021, I unlawfully entered the United States Capitol Building and demonstrated without permission. I am ashamed to admit that I wanted to interrupt and influence Congress's certification of the Electoral College vote."
"As a former member of the United States Olympic Swimming Team, my behavior set a terrible example for young people who looked up to me. I take full responsibility for my inexcusable actions. I will accept my punishment with humility and serve my sentence in peace."

But many weren't buying it—and condemned Keller's actions.


Prosecutors highlighted Keller's participation in the mob, chanting expletives directed at lawmakers, particularly Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. He retreated only after law enforcement intervened, disposing of his Olympic jacket and destroying his phone.

They noted that Keller had once "stood on the world's brightest stage as a representative of the United States" and that Keller himself acknowledged that he had now "stood in the middle of the Capitol and sang the national anthem -- this time with alarms and pepper spray in the air, injured officers and rioters on the ground, and an election on the brink."

Keller, who now works in commercial real estate, said he hopes his story "serves as a warning to anyone who rationalizes illegal conduct, especially in a moment of political fervor."

More from Trending

Brad Pitt
Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

Brad Pitt Opens Up About Going To Alcoholics Anonymous Amid 'Difficult' Split From Angelina Jolie

In 2016, actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt officially separated after 12 years together, with two of those years spent as husband and wife.

The split came after an inflight incident that forced the private plane Pitt, Jolie, and their children were traveling on to make an unscheduled landing and prompted an FBI investigation. Pitt later shared that he was struggling with an alcohol addiction.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sir Rod Stewart; Donald Trump
Ethan Miller/Getty Images; Carlos Barria - Pool/Getty Images

Rod Stewart Explains Why He's No Longer Friends With Trump In Blistering Interview

Singer Sir Rod Stewart and MAGA Republican President Donald Trump might seem like an odd pairing, but the two were once good friends, according to the Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

And they actually have several things in common.

Keep ReadingShow less
Thomas Massie; Donald Trump
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Suzanne Plunkett/Pool/Getty Images

GOP Rep. Offers Snarky Clapback After Trump Kicks Him Out Of MAGA For Criticizing Iran Attack

Kentucky Republican Representative Massie offered a snarky response after President Donald Trump said "MAGA doesn't want him" following Massie's criticism of Trump's unilateral decision to bomb Iran and the spending package presented in the "Big Beautiful Bill."

Massie spoke out following Trump's decision to authorize a series of intense U.S. air and submarine strikes targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities, amid ongoing uncertainty about the status of Tehran’s nuclear program. The threat of a wider conflict in the Middle East is on everyone's minds as tensions between Iran and Israel—now openly aided by the U.S.—intensify.

Keep ReadingShow less
Las Vegas sign
welcome to fabulous las vegas nevada signage

People Reveal The Times 'What Happens In Vegas' Did Not Stay In Vegas

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"...

The age-old slogan encourages visitors to put their fears and inhibitions to the side while indulging in all that "Sin City" has to offer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie Taylor Greene; Donald Trump
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

MTG Goes Off On Trump Over Iran Attack—And Warns Of What Could Happen Next

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized President Donald Trump in a lengthy post on X following his unilateral decision to bomb Iran over the weekend.

Greene is one of the most devout MAGA adherents in Congress, so her policy split is rare but shows just how deeply Trump has angered his own base since he authorized a series of intense U.S. air and submarine strikes targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities, amid ongoing uncertainty about the status of Tehran’s nuclear program

Keep ReadingShow less