In January 2024, Isabella Maria DeLuca, a conservative social media influencer with over 333,000 followers, was charged with storming the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 attack [9894ea86]. DeLuca is accused of passing a stolen table out of a broken window, which was later used as a weapon against police. She was arrested in Irvine, California, on misdemeanor charges including theft of government property, disorderly conduct, and entering a restricted area. DeLuca had previously interned for former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin and Rep. Paul Gosar, both Republicans [9894ea86].
DeLuca's arrest came after videos captured her entering the Capitol through a broken window and passing a table out, which matched the table thrown at police by another rioter. She also posted about the riot on social media, referring to the Capitol as 'Our House' and stating that people went there to voice their grievances. However, when questioned by the FBI, she denied entering the building on January 6 [9894ea86].
Tyler Bradley Dykes, a 26-year-old white supremacist from Bluffton, SC, also pleaded guilty to two felony charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and admitted that his use of a police riot shield constituted a dangerous weapon. Dykes had previously served a felony sentence for participating in the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. He will be sentenced on July 19, 2024, by Senior US District Court Judge Beryl Howell, who has been critical of the Justice Department's approach to January 6 prosecutions. During the Capitol attack, Dykes forcibly took away an officer's riot shield, leaving the officer vulnerable to pepper spray and attack from other insurrectionists [20869d0d].
Jack Wade Whitton, a Georgia business owner, has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for striking an officer with a metal crutch and dragging him, head first and face down, into the crowd on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace during the riot at the Capitol. Whitton also tried to pull a second officer into the crowd and kicked at, threatened, and threw a construction pylon at officers. He expressed remorse for his actions and claimed to have changed. Whitton pleaded guilty to an assault charge and will receive credit for the three years he has been jailed since his arrest. The judge described the videos of Whitton attacking police as 'gruesome.' Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of eight years and one month. Whitton was among nine defendants charged in the same attack. Two co-defendants helped Whitton drag an officer into the crowd before other rioters beat the officer with a flagpole and a stolen police baton. Over 1,350 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot, with over 850 of them sentenced to imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years [077c3b6d] [20869d0d] [9894ea86].
In a separate case, Ryan Delanty, known as the 'pledge dad' of Danny Santulli in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at the University of Missouri, has been sentenced to six months in jail and six months under house arrest for hazing and supplying alcohol to a minor. Santulli was hazed at a fraternity event in October 2021, where he was forced to drink a liter of vodka, resulting in a blood alcohol level of .486%. Delanty's sentencing comes nearly three years after the incident, which left Santulli unable to walk, talk, or see. Five other fraternity brothers have pleaded guilty in the case, while four others have pending cases [6bf70042].
Kat Torres, a former Brazilian model and wellness influencer, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for human trafficking and slavery. The FBI investigated the disappearance of two women residing with her in 2022, leading to the charges [22bf17a3]. Torres attracted victims with her rags-to-riches story and connections to Hollywood celebrities. She also fueled rumors of a relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Torres reinvented herself as a life coach and hypnotist, launching a wellness website and subscription service. However, over 20 women came forward accusing her of scamming and exploiting them. Torres remained tight-lipped about her connection to DiCaprio, citing a supposed pact to keep their romance private. The victims are still undergoing therapy to recover from their experiences [22bf17a3].