Northridge woman arrested in 2021 attack on US Capitol

NORTHRIDGE, LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- A Northridge woman is facing federal felony and misdemeanor charges related to her alleged conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and made her first federal court appearance in downtown Los Angeles.

Kayla Reifschneider, 27, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of obstruction of an official proceeding and several misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Reifschneider made her initial federal court appearance Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles.

According to court documents, Reifschneider -- a member of the Telegram online chat group Patriots 45 -- traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in advance of Jan. 6, 2021. Patriots 45 was organized to support then-President Donald Trump and discuss what its members viewed as fraudulent election results.

In one post to the group, prosecutors allege, Reifschneider shared a screenshot of a Tweet from another individual, which read, "If you're in D.C. on January 6th, STAY HOME! The domestic terrorists (Boogaloos, Prod Boys, etc.) are planning to break into federal buildings, cause violence against law enforcement, burn down buildings, and even try to shoot up federal employees and lawmakers. STAY HOME!!!!!!!!"

After sharing the screenshot, Reifschneider apparently wrote, "Lmfaooo. What a l(os)er." Another user responded, "Real Trump supporters are looking to arrest traitors ... not attack buildings lol," court papers show.

Reifschneider allegedly replied, "Exactly. We arent antifa and blm. We have an actual mission." The DOJ contends she also discussed planning to provide that same individual with weapons -- including a stun gun and pepper spray -- to transport to Washington, D.C., in advance of Jan. 6, 2021.

The DOJ alleges that Reifschneider was depicted in open-source video footage from Jan. 6, 2021, on the Upper West Terrace, yelling obscenities at police. She then purportedly left the area and joined a group of rioters on the east side of the Capitol, where members of the media had set up.

The media members were behind bike racks, separating themselves from the crowd. In an open-source video at this location, Reifschneider apparently can be seen yelling at members of the media. After other rioters knocked over and removed bike racks, Reifschneider was seen climbing over a small wall that had separated the media from the rioters, according to court documents.

As media members ran away and their equipment was destroyed, Reifschneider cheers and is seen spitting in the direction of the media and yelling expletives, federal prosecutors allege.

She allegedly is then seen approaching, lifting, and throwing a helmet in the direction of another individual, and moments later approaching a camera on the ground and stepping on it. She then leans down, lifts the camera, and throws it back to the ground, according to the DOJ.

In another open-source video, capturing the following moments, Reifschneider celebrates. She allegedly raises a middle finger, shouts an expletive and yells, "It's been four years I've been wanting to do this!"

On Jan. 6, 2021, Reifschneider is alleged to have texted another person, "Time to show them who they should be afraid of. Curfew at 6. We will not comply."

That individual wrote back the following morning, "So they beat the crap out of the police?" Reifschneider responded, "I definitely saw one getting help. Limping. We (messed) them up worse than antifa and blm. Lmao," according to court papers.

Reifschneider's alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election, according to the DOJ.

Prosecutors note that in the 38 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,358 people have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the Capitol, including more than 486 defendants charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.