WASHINGTON, D.C. – A woman from Pennsylvania was convicted for actions she took during the January 6th Capitol incident in 2021 where she entered into secure areas.
The woman will learn her fate in October when a federal judge sentences her for the role she played during that day.
Rachel Powell, 41 years old, was convicted in July of several crimes in relation to entering into secure areas of the Capitol and directing others by providing a layout of the buildings by using a bullhorn. After her conviction, she was ordered to stay confined at her residence until she was sentenced.
According to UncoverDC, Powell now lives in a small studio-type residence while she awaits sentencing. She told the news outlet that she now lives with knowing that she “ruined” her “family’s wonder life.”
“I ruined my family’s wonderful life in one day without meaning to," she said. "I wish I was never involved. I feel dumb, set up, duped, and terrible for what I have put my family through.”
Powell said that she and her family have been the target of harassment since her name became public in 2021. She went from someone that only her local town and family knew to being in the national spotlight, and with it, according to her, constant harassment.
Powell reported her family discovered a sign on her fence that stated she should be “locked up.” She also alleged that the harassment spilled over to her place of employment, a local bookstore, which was forced to cut ties with her after losing business due to a bombardment of negative reviews and calls for her termination.
Powell, who says she was not a big supporter of former President Donald Trump, spoke of her decision to get involved on January 6th, the day Congress was supposed to ratify the Electoral College vote in favor of current President Joe Biden. She said she felt the election was not fairly conducted and wanted to take action.
Powell told UncoverDC that she peacefully arrived at the Capitol that day until she alleges police opened fire upon them without provocation.
“I was scared because when they started shooting us," she said, "the guy beside me, he got shot through his face; you could look through his cheek. When I was outside the tunnel, the police started throwing out these little flash bomb things at us.”
It appears Powell is referring to the point where some participating in the protest got violent and began confronting the law enforcement officers who were attempting to stop them from breaching the secure areas at the Capitol.
Powell goes on to maintain that she did very little wrong other than trying to help those who were participating in the riot. For her actions that day, she believes that she should only be in trouble for “breaking a window.”
“I should be in trouble for breaking a window," she said. "I should have to pay for the window or whatever fines come along with that. But I shouldn’t be sitting here under strict house arrest two-and-a-half years later-not even allowed to walk outside on the grass, not allowed to go to work outside my home…
“Should I go to prison for years over a broken window because of a protest that got out of control? It doesn’t make any sense to me that we would be punished like this, you know? Should I have to go to jail for a broken window?”
According to the FBI, “POWELL is clearly seen speaking through a bullhorn and giving very detailed instructions about the layout of the Capitol building to others inside the room. She can be heard stating that she had just been inside the Capitol Building in the adjacent room, and that they should 'coordinate together if you are going to take this building.' She also notes that they 'have another window to break.'”
The woman will learn her fate in October when a federal judge sentences her for the role she played during that day.
Rachel Powell, 41 years old, was convicted in July of several crimes in relation to entering into secure areas of the Capitol and directing others by providing a layout of the buildings by using a bullhorn. After her conviction, she was ordered to stay confined at her residence until she was sentenced.
According to UncoverDC, Powell now lives in a small studio-type residence while she awaits sentencing. She told the news outlet that she now lives with knowing that she “ruined” her “family’s wonder life.”
“I ruined my family’s wonderful life in one day without meaning to," she said. "I wish I was never involved. I feel dumb, set up, duped, and terrible for what I have put my family through.”
Powell said that she and her family have been the target of harassment since her name became public in 2021. She went from someone that only her local town and family knew to being in the national spotlight, and with it, according to her, constant harassment.
Powell reported her family discovered a sign on her fence that stated she should be “locked up.” She also alleged that the harassment spilled over to her place of employment, a local bookstore, which was forced to cut ties with her after losing business due to a bombardment of negative reviews and calls for her termination.
Powell, who says she was not a big supporter of former President Donald Trump, spoke of her decision to get involved on January 6th, the day Congress was supposed to ratify the Electoral College vote in favor of current President Joe Biden. She said she felt the election was not fairly conducted and wanted to take action.
Powell told UncoverDC that she peacefully arrived at the Capitol that day until she alleges police opened fire upon them without provocation.
“I was scared because when they started shooting us," she said, "the guy beside me, he got shot through his face; you could look through his cheek. When I was outside the tunnel, the police started throwing out these little flash bomb things at us.”
It appears Powell is referring to the point where some participating in the protest got violent and began confronting the law enforcement officers who were attempting to stop them from breaching the secure areas at the Capitol.
Powell goes on to maintain that she did very little wrong other than trying to help those who were participating in the riot. For her actions that day, she believes that she should only be in trouble for “breaking a window.”
“I should be in trouble for breaking a window," she said. "I should have to pay for the window or whatever fines come along with that. But I shouldn’t be sitting here under strict house arrest two-and-a-half years later-not even allowed to walk outside on the grass, not allowed to go to work outside my home…
“Should I go to prison for years over a broken window because of a protest that got out of control? It doesn’t make any sense to me that we would be punished like this, you know? Should I have to go to jail for a broken window?”
According to the FBI, “POWELL is clearly seen speaking through a bullhorn and giving very detailed instructions about the layout of the Capitol building to others inside the room. She can be heard stating that she had just been inside the Capitol Building in the adjacent room, and that they should 'coordinate together if you are going to take this building.' She also notes that they 'have another window to break.'”
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