BRAZILIAN CITIZEN FROM SUBURBS FACES CHARGE IN CAPITOL BREACH
A Brazilian citizen who lives in Indian Head Park is the latest Illinois resident to face criminal charges for allegedly taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Leticia Vilhena Ferreira, 32, allegedly sent someone a text message the day after the breach that asked, “Do you think they will go after all the people walking in the capitol area?”
The person replied, “Don’t be sad. Be prepared. We are all f—ed.”
Ferreira allegedly wrote back, “I was so irresponsible to walk there.”
Ferreira is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Court records show Ferreira was interviewed at her home by authorities on April 2, 2021. Though she couldn’t vote in the 2020 election, she said she wanted to see then-President Donald Trump speak and traveled to Washington, D.C.
However, Ferreira said she didn’t get to hear Trump’s speech because so many people started to march toward the Capitol. She said she followed them into the building and spent about 20 minutes inside. She gave the feds photos and video she took, and they said alarms were sounding inside the building when Ferreira began one of the recordings.
Though other videos showed Ferreira in the Capitol Crypt when rioters began to rush Capitol police, records show “Ferreira did not appear to have participated in any assault on officers.”
Ferreira is the 26th known Illinoisan to be charged in connection with the Capitol breach. Prosecutors earlier this year charged Anthony Carollo of Lockport, Cody Vollan of Flossmoor and Jeremiah Carollo of Glen Carbon.
Christopher and Tina Logsdon of Sesser were also charged Jan. 18 with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. No details have been released about the allegations against them.