Bristol Woman Charged For Capitol Riots Role: Feds

Levittown PA

25 February, 2021

11:41 AM

Description

BRISTOL BOROUGH, PA ― A woman from Bristol Borough faces federal charges for her role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Raechel Genco, 38, is accused of entering a restricted building or grounds and disorderly conduct with the intent to disrupt government business, according to a criminal complaint released by the U.S. Justice Department. Prosecutors say Genco was shown in a widely shared video from Jan. 6 in which supporters of former President Donald Trump fight officers over a barricade outside the Capitol. Inside, members of Congress were confirming President Joe Biden's victory over Trump. In violence that would result in five deaths and hundreds of injuries, thousands of people marched on the Capitol after a rally led by Trump and others near the White House. In the complaint, an FBI special agent says Genco was recognized in footage from the events at the capitol. It says she was with Ryan Stephen Samsel, 37, who was arrested in late January and charged with assaulting a U.S. Capitol Police officer during the attacks. Prosecutors say Samsel was part of a crowd that, at about 12:50 p.m., walked past a fence line outside the Capitol and approached a second barricade manned by U.S. Capitol Police. Video shows Samsel confronting an officer and then, along with others, pushing and pulling on the barricades, according to the FBI. One capitol officer was knocked down and into a set of stairs during that attack and was later diagnosed with a concussion. Samsel also is accused of trying to pull a riot shied away from another officer during a separate confrontation. On Jan. 30, FBI agents served a search warrant at the home Samsel shares with Genco and her family. During an interview, Samsel said he and Genco traveled to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 in her Dodge Charger. During that interview, Samsel claimed Genco did not enter capitol grounds during the attacks. But authorities say images shared along with the complaint show Genco on restricted capitol property beyond the barricades. The complaint does not claim Genco physically took part in the fight over the barricades. Sign up to get Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe