CHICAGO (CBS) — A Crest Hill couple has been sentenced to probation for their role in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
John and Amy Schubert both pleaded guilty in December to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. They had faced up to six months in jail, but instead on Tuesday were sentenced to 18 months of probation. John Schubert was fined $1,500, and Amy Schubert was fined $2,000. Both also must serve 100 hours of community service, and pay $500 in restitution.
The Schuberts were arrested on federal charges in July 2021.
Federal authorities say images from Amy Schubert’s phone show her husband, John, inside the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. (Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office)
According to the charges, the FBI received an anonymous tip on March 2, regarding YouTube video titled “The Insurrection of The United States Capitol,” showing a woman wearing a black jacket with the text “Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 422 Joliet IL.”
The FBI was able to use geolocation data to identify six Google accounts associated with the 815 area code, where Joliet is located, two of them belonging to women, including Amy Schubert’s Google account, according to the charges. Agents then tracked down Amy Schubert’s Facebook account and Illinois Secretary of State records, and matched her Facebook pictures and driver’s license photo with the images of the woman in the video.
After obtaining a search warrant for her Google account, the feds were able to confirm her phone pinged at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and found images and videos on her phone showing her husband, John, inside the Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6. The feds matched those images with photos of John Schubert from his wife’s Facebook account and his Illinois driver’s license photo.
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Federal authorities say a Joliet plumbers’ union jacket helped them identify Amy Schubert in a video of the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. (Credit; U.S. Attorney’s Office)
One neighbor said the Schuberts had been the subject of complaints before.
“They posted Trump signs multiple times on this public property, and we called multiple times to get them to take it down,” the woman said at the time the Schuberts were charged.
“You know, it’s not surprising some people were really upset and wanted to go to a rally, and then wanted to go protest,” said neighbor Dale Jacobs.
At least 12 people from the Chicago area have been charged in connection with the Capitol insurrection, including Brad Rukstales, of Inverness, who was the first person from Illinois to plead guilty in the attack. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, and ordered to pay $500 in restitution.
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Brothers Christian and Mark Kulas, of Lake Forest, also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the attack. Their sentencing hearing is set for April 29.
CBS 2 Chicago Staff
