TOPEKA (KSNT) - A motion was filed to dismiss one of the charges a former Topeka City Council candidate faced in connection to the Jan. 6 riots.
Nine people have been arrested in Kansas in connection to the "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6, 2021. Two of those arrests were made in Topeka.
One of the individuals arrested in Topeka had a list of charges and was indicted by a Grand Jury. The man, William Alexander Pope, was seen in a Facebook live video allegedly marching towards the Capitol with his brother. Pope, a former Topeka City Council candidate from the 2019 District 2 seat race, was the third Kansas man taken into custody by the FBI, with two from Olathe arrested earlier in 2021.
On Jan. 8 a witness was interviewed by the FBI and provided a Facebook live video from Pope’s Facebook page. In the video, Pope said he was marching to the Capitol and introduced his brother.
An image was shared of Pope being restrained by a Capitol police officer. He was arrested on the following charges:
On May 13, 2024, the government dropped counts five and seven. On Aug. 23, the government submitted a motion to dismiss count two of obstruction of an official proceeding. Pope has a trial date scheduled for Dec. 2, 2024 for counts one, three, four, six and eight.
Another individual arrested in Topeka pleaded guilty to four counts including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds. The individual was sentenced to 24 months of probation, 30 days of home detention, 60 hours of community service, a $2,000 fine and $500 in restitution.
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