The former leader of a so-called “volunteer militia” pleaded guilty Tuesday to assaulting police officers at the U.S Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia.
Matthew Thomas Krol, 64, pleaded guilty to one felony count of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon during the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington D.C. Krol, the self-professed former leader of Genesee County Volunteer Militia from Michigan, was arrested in Feb. 2022, the Department of Justice press release stated.
Michigan man with ties to Whitmer kidnap plotters pleads guilty in U.S. Capitol riot case https://t.co/5Zs8eYjNSS
— Detroit Free Press (@freep) August 15, 2023
Court documents claim that at approximately 2:28 p.m., Krol made his way through a crowd gathered near the Lower West Plaza of the Capitol grounds and threw a water bottle at police officers attempting to hold a defensive perimeter around the building. Krol then attacked the line of officers, stealing one officer’s baton which he used to strike at least two other officials, according to the release.
“As the line of police officers attempted to retreat from the surging crowd of rioters, Krol again moved forward and attacked a United States Capitol Police Officer with the stolen baton,” the release stated.
Krol, who admittedly has ties to the men convicted of plotting to kidnap Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, was reportedly “very remorseful” for his actions on Jan. 6. His lawyer, Michael Cronkright, stated that Krol had got caught up in the crowd and in so doing committed wrongdoings in “less than a minute,” the Detroit Free Press reported. (RELATED: ‘At Least 40’ Undercover Informants Were Doing Surveillance On Jan. 6, Defense Lawyer Says)
Krol, who has been in custody since Feb. 2022, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15, 2023, the release stated.