Two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller surrendered to federal authorities on Thursday on charges related to his alleged involvement in the riots at the U.S. Capitol last week.
Keller, who won five medals at three Olympics in the 2000s, was charged with three crimes in the U.S. District Court in Denver and was released without a connection, according to the Arizona Republic.
The charges were revealed on Wednesday before he surrendered and the judge set it out and the maximum sentences on Thursday during a court hearing. Keller may also face additional charges.
Keller faces charges during trial
According to a U.S. criminal complaint filed in Washington, DC, the 38-year-old is charged with:
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Obstruction of law enforcers performing official duties related to civil unrest
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Scientifically enter or remain in any restricted building or site without legal authority
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Violent trespassing and disorderly conduct in the capital
The first carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty said during the trial via the Republic. Each charge has a maximum penalty of $ 250,000. According to the Washington Post, Keller could face up to 15 1/2 years in prison.
Keller is not allowed to leave Colorado except to visit his children in North Carolina. He worked as a commercial real estate agent until Tuesday when he was identified on photos of the riot in Capitol.
Keller is allegedly shown in the Capitol riot video
Keller was allegedly part of the mob that invaded the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday while Congress certified the 2020 election results that Joe Biden won. The raid left five people dead.
SwimSwam first reported the news of Keller’s involvement in the attack and several people confirmed his identity to the New York Times. A video shows a tall man in a Team USA jacket identifying people in the Capitol roundabout as Keller while police try to stop rioters. At 6-foot-6, he is easy to spot in the crowd.
The Washington Post also confirmed his identity in interviews with fellow Olympic medalists.
Keller’s social media accounts have been disabled. SwimSwam and friends of Keller who spoke to the Post reported that the accounts contained numerous posts supporting Donald Trump before they were removed.
Keller’s Olympic History with Team USA
Keller helped Team USA win gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The group included Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.
He won two bronze medals in the 400m freestyle from Athens and the 2000 Sydney Games. He also helped win silver in the 4x200m relay in Sydney.
Keller retired from competitive swimming in 2008.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee did not name Keller in a statement issued Wednesday, but addressed the reports of a number of alumni athletes and “strongly condemned” the actions of rioters.
Keller has been asked to be stripped of the medals and former teammates are upset that he was wearing Team USA clothes to the riot.
The USOPC does not have the ability to take medals, as only the International Olympic Committee can do that. It took them from athletes who violated the doping rules or other competitive regulations.
He apparently struggled to adjust to life after the Olympics, according to reports by the Post, Associated Press and a story from 2014 taken from the USA Swimming website. He did not comment on the charges.
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