Melody Steele-Smith, a Gloucester resident who was indicted in federal court on Jan. 8, 2021 on charges related to the Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced on June 16 by Judge Randolph D. Moss of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Facing five separate charges, Steele-Smith reached a plea deal with the federal government last October and was convicted of only one charge: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. She was sentenced to 36 months of probation with 90 days of home detention and ordered to pay $500 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. The charge carried potential jail time of up to one year and a fine of up to $100,000.
Charges of obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, entering and remaining in certain rooms in the Capitol building, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building were all dismissed on an oral motion by the gove...