Klete Keller, Olympian with ties to Colorado, charged in connection with deadly Capitol riot – The Denver Post

Klete Keller, an Olympic gold-medalist swimmer with ties to Colorado Springs, was charged Wednesday for his alleged participation in last week’s deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol, court records show.

The 38-year-old, who won medals at three Olympic games as a relay partner of Michael Phelps, was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with three counts relating to obstructing law enforcement, entering a restricted building without permission and “violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds,” according to his criminal complaint.

Federal agents identified Keller through videos of the riot posted to social media, which show Keller in a blue Olympic jacket inside the Capitol, surrounded by other rioters and Capitol police, the complaint said.

Former teammates this week identified Keller from the videos.

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Keller in recent years worked as a real estate agent in Colorado Springs. The agency, Hoff & Leigh, announced Tuesday night that Keller had resigned “effective immediately.”

“Hoff & Leigh supports the right of free speech and lawful protest but we cannot condone actions that violate the rule of law,” the company told The New York Times in a statement.

Keller is just the latest person to face federal charges in connection with the deadly riot that left five people dead, including Capitol police officer Brian D. Sicknic. The rioters were incited by President Donald Trump in a speech that now has the president on the verge of a second impeachment.

Keller won medals at three Olympics, including golds at the Athens Games in 2004 and at the Beijing Games in 2008 as a member of the 4×200-meter relay team. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games.

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