WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania man who chartered buses to bring 200 people to Washington, D.C., for former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 pleaded guilty Wednesday to taking part in the Capitol riot.
Frank J. Scavo, of Old Forge, appeared virtually before U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth to enter a plea of guilty to one misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building – a Class B misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
Scavo’s attorneys, Ernest Preate and Matthew Corcoran, told Lamberth he was “ever-regretful of having committed this crime.” They said since his arrest he has sat for two interviews with the FBI and that his plea includes a cooperation agreement with the Department of Justice.
Scavo previously ran for a Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat and served as the president of the Old Forge School Board before being kicked out over Facebook posts that were viewed as anti-Muslim, according to WUSA9’s sister station WNEP.
In an interview with the FBI on January 15, Scavo said he was a supporter of Trump and had decided to charter buses to bring himself and roughly 200 other people to D.C. on January 6. Scavo told the FBI he headed to the Capitol after he learned former Vice President Mike Pence was not going to contest the election results.
Once there, the FBI says Scavo entered the Capitol and joined in chants of “Treason” and “Defend the Constitution, defend your liberty!” Scavo also recorded a video of himself on his cellphone saying he was “stormed the ****ing Capitol of the ****ing United States at 58 years old.”
Scavo is the 52nd Capitol riot defendant to enter a guilty plea in the case. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for November 22 before Lamberth.
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