Court Battles

Mother, daughter plead guilty to Jan. 6 charges

A mother and her adult daughter pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building during the Jan. 6 insurrection last year, The Associated Press reports.

Jean Lavin, 57, and her daughter Carla Krzywicki, 20, of Connecticut admitted to climbing a bicycle rack to get into the U.S. Capitol after traveling to Washington, D.C., to hear a speech from then-President Trump.

The FBI received an anonymous tip identifying the pair at the riot after Krzywicki posted pictures of herself and her mother at the Capitol on Facebook.

Lavin and Krzywicki were initially charged with entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, as well as the picketing charge.

Lavin told a U.S. District Court judge Tuesday that she carried “Trump Won” signs inside the Capitol building because she did not have a safe place to keep them. She held a sign reading “Don’t allow 7 states of cheaters to hijack our election!” while in the Capitol.

“We went along with the crowd, but didn’t have the mob mentality like others there,” Lavin said.

Both women will be sentenced on April 22 and could face up to six months in prison, up to five years probation and up to $5,000 in fines. They will each pay $500 to the Architect of the Capitol to contribute to the repair of about $1.5 million in damage that was caused to the building during the insurrection.

Krzywicki deleted photos of the incident from Facebook after realizing the seriousness of the situation, she said in court.