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Klete Keller has been charged with illegally entering the Capitol, violent conduct and obstructing law enforcement.
U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist Klete Keller was accused by the Justice Department on Wednesday of participating in the Jan.6 attack on Congress by supporters of President Donald Trump.
Keller was filmed as part of the crowd that illegally entered the huge Hall of the Capitol Rotunda after violent protesters crossed police lines and made their way.
A statement accompanying the official charges released Wednesday said police identified the three-time Olympian first with what appears to be an official team jacket with the large ‘USA’ logo on the back and a patch on the arm that read ” United States Olympic Team ”.
He was charged with illegally entering the Capitol, violent or disorderly conduct and obstructing law enforcement.
Keller, 38, competed in the Olympics in 2000, 2004 and 2008, winning two gold and one silver in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay and two bronzes in the 400-meter individual freestyle.
His gold in the 2004 relay in Athens was one of the most celebrated races in swimming, with an American star team that included Michael Phelps, against an Australian quartet led by powerful champion Ian Thorpe.
In the anchor position, he was able to hold back a soaring Thorpe for the win, ending years of Australian dominance in the event.
His life after the Olympics has been tough, with a divorce, several lost jobs and a dive into homelessness and a life without a car for a while, he told The Olympic Channel in a 2018 podcast.
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