An assumption Capitol riot police accused by a former partner of stealing a laptop or hard drive from Nancy Pelosi’s office has been handed over to authorities, two sources confirmed to CBS News. Riley Williams’ ex-partner told authorities she planned to give the device to a friend who would sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service, a claim the authorities are investigating but have not yet confirmed.
Williams’ former romantic partner called the FBI several times in the days following the riots to report that they had seen him in videos inside the Capitol, according to court documents. The couple, known as Witness 1, allegedly said Williams’ friends had shown them a video carrying a laptop or hard drive from Speaker Pelosi’s office during the riots.
The witness told the FBI that Williams “intended to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, who then planned to sell the device to SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service.” But the witness also said the plan “fell through for unknown reasons,” adding that Williams still owns the device or destroyed it.
The complaint offers no additional evidence to support the allegations of theft, but says the claim “remains under investigation.”
FBI
According to court documents, Williams appears several times in images of the assault on the Capitol, including a staircase near Pelosi’s office. He is currently facing no charges of theft and is instead accused of breaking into or remaining in a restricted building or on land without legal authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Williams’ father told Harrisburg police Jan. 16 that he and his daughter traveled together to Washington, DC, to attend the protests, according to documents. But he said the couple did not stay together during the day, according to the complaint.
On the same day, Williams’ mother told investigators that her daughter had recently become interested in President Trump and the “far-right message boards,” according to the complaint.
The Justice Department confirmed on its website that Williams was arrested in Pennsylvania Monday night.
Clare Hymes and Andres Triay contributed to the reports.