A Southern California social media influencer charged with violations related to the Jan. 6, breach of the U.S. Capitol was arrested by federal agents in Irvine, California, March 15.
Isabella Maria DeLuca, 24, of Irvine, faces five misdemeanor counts, including theft of government property, disorderly conduct, and entering a restricted area, according to charging documents filed Feb. 28 in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
In a social media post on X Tuesday—already seen by 1.1 million people by midday—Ms. DeLuca said she was “handcuffed and shackled” during her arrest but remained steadfast in her convictions.
“As many of you already know, I am facing unwarranted targeting and persecution by the DOJ and FBI at the direction of the Biden Administration, like most J6ers,” Ms. DeLuca posted. “To say it’s a shock is the understatement of the century. … This experience, for me, has only served to shed light on the challenges conservative Americans, Christians, and Trump supporters face daily.”
FBI Investigation
In statements to the court, a special agent working at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said his investigation into Ms. DeLuca included receiving public tips that led to the agency interviewing her.During the interview, Ms. DeLuca allegedly admitted that she was present at the U.S Capitol Jan. 6 but never entered the building. She said she went with friends to the rally that day.
The FBI reported interviewing Ms. DeLuca’s mother Jan. 21, who confirmed her daughter’s account, according to the court documents.
Filings also included surveillance footage on the steps of the Capitol, showing blurry pictures that they say include Ms. DeLuca standing among hundreds of other protestors on the building’s steps, facing away from it.
The agent claims in court documents Ms. DeLuca entered the Capitol through a lower window that had been broken by demonstrators and passed a table out of the window, using her cell phone to record video and take photos of the scene.
The agent also alleges a leg from the wooden table was used to “assault law enforcement officers.”
“The table bears a strong resemblance to the table that DeLuca passed out of the window ... sharing the same design on the apron,” the agent wrote in the document. “But the table legs were broken off at some point in the melee.”
AG Garland’s Former Law Clerk for a Judge
Ms. DeLuca’s case was assigned to Judge Robin Meriweather, who has served on the federal district court since 2017 and was nominated to the Court of Federal Claims by President Joe Biden in December.Ms. Meriweather clerked for then-Judge Merrick Garland from 1998 to 1999, according to her biography on the district court’s website. Mr. Garland, who is now Biden’s attorney general, is in charge of investigations related to the breach and has vowed to continue prosecuting those accused of participating in it.
“I am extremely proud of the men and women of the department who are working every day to hold accountable those who committed crimes on Jan. 6,” Mr. Garland said at a news conference Dec. 6, according to Reuters. “They will continue to do so.”
Support Shown
Ms. DeLuca, who has about 340,000 followers on X and 126,000 on Instagram, worked as a congressional intern and as a media associate for The Gold Institute for International Strategy, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit think tank, and served as an ambassador for the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA. The Gold Institute had removed Ms. DeLuca’s information from its website Tuesday.Charlie Kirk, founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, defended Ms. DeLuca in a statement posted to his X account Tuesday.
“Isabella DeLuca was always a solid [Turning Point USA] member,” Mr. Kirk wrote. “People are telling me to ‘stay away’ because she got indicted by the FBI on five misdemeanor charges for being inside the Capitol on J6 and believing the election was stolen. What total BS. ... She loves her country and is now facing federal prison because of her political views. It’s disgusting and wrong.”
A legal fund was opened for the defendant on the Give Send Go site, a Christian crowdfunding website.
The site allows the public to contribute money to help cover Ms. DeLuca’s legal fees, consultations, and associated costs. The fund, which has a goal of $55,000, had reached over $12,000 by midday Tuesday.
