Source: United States Department of Justice News
Defendant Engaged in Violence in the Lower West Tunnel
WASHINGTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia today to a felony charge for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Kevin Louis Galetto, 63, formerly of Westminster, California, and now of Merritt Island, Florida, pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers, a felony. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for August 8, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, around 2:40 pm on Jan. 6, 2021, Galetto approached the Lower West Terrace tunnel entrance. He was wearing a black Trump baseball hat, a black headband/ear warmer, a tan jacket, and a gray hoodie as he entered the tunnel. He was one of the first individuals inside the tunnel and was met with a large police presence denying him and the larger crowd entrance into the Capitol building. The crowd in the tunnel was significant and numbered well more than three individuals. This assemblage, of which Galetto was a part, confronted the police officers in the LWT who were attempting to hold the crowd from entering the Capitol through the tunnel. Some members of this assemblage engaged in acts of violence.
Evidence from Body Worn Camera (BWC) of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officer B.S. captured Galetto at the entryway doors of the tunnel. At approximately 2:43 p.m., BWC captured Galetto with his arms extended and pressed up against MPD officer shields. At approximately 2:44 p.m., BWC captured Galetto’s body pressed up against officer shields. At approximately 2:46 p.m., the BWC captured a scuffle involving Galetto. Officer B.S. was knocked to the ground. At approximately 2:46 p.m., BWC captured Galetto on one knee with a hand on the ground. Less than one minute later, Galetto rose to his feet and retreated from the area of the tunnel. As he made his way from the inside to the tunnel entrance, Galetto shouted to the crowd outside, “More people!” in an attempt to summon more rioters to the tunnel entrance. Galetto remained at the tunnel for over an hour and a half and was part of one of the last pushes against officers at approximately 4:15 PM. Galetto’s extended presence in the tunnel and his violent confrontation with officers as part of the crowd presented an immediate risk of injury to person or damage to property.
On the evening of January 6, 2021, Galetto texted an individual on his cell phone noting that the politicians “need to be overthrown,” and that Mike Pence “is a trader [sic]”.
Galetto was arrested on April 23, 2021, in Westminster, California.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and the Washington Field Office, which identified Galetto as #146 on its seeking information posters. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 999 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. .
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.