Charges for California woman who admitted entering Capitol

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged a Southern California woman who admitted entering the U.S. Capitol when it was stormed by a mob seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but who claimed that police “welcomed” her in.

Danean MacAndrew of Mission Viejo was arrested last Wednesday and faces charges including entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct and parading in the Capitol, the Orange County Register reported Sunday. The federal public defender assigned to represent her could not be reached for comment.

Investigators used cell phone tower data to identify MacAndrew as one of hundreds of people present at the insurrection in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, according to a sworn statement from an FBI agent. They then compared videos she posted to social media with surveillance footage recorded during the riot to confirm she was there.

MacAndrew told FBI agents that police were letting people in the Capitol when she arrived, according to court documents.

“Capitol Police opened the doors, welcomed us in, and stood aside as we wandered the hallways,” MacAndrew said in a social media post dated Feb. 22.

Prosecutors have filed charges against more than 700 people for taking part in the Jan. 6 insurrection.