Former US Olympic Swimmer Arrested In Colorado Springs For Role In Capitol Riot

Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested former U.S. Olympian Klete Keller for his role in storming the U.S. Capitol last week.

Keller, 38, is a two-time Olympic gold medal swimmer and a realtor in Colorado Springs.

In the criminal complaint filed Wednesday, federal officials allege Keller violently entered the Capitol grounds, engaged in disorderly conduct there and obstructed law enforcement engaged in official duties.

“In light of the dangerous circumstances caused by the unlawful entry to the Capitol, including the danger posed by individuals who had entered the Capitol without any security screening or weapons check, Congressional proceedings could not resume until after every unauthorized occupant had left the Capitol,” the criminal complaint said.

Townhall Media

The Gazette reported on Tuesday that Keller was employed at Hoff & Leigh —  a real estate brokerage firm. But Keller’s name does not appear on the website on Wednesday and other media outlets reported that he resigned this week.

The website SwimSwam initially broke the story of Keller’s apparent presence in the U.S. Capitol. Julio Rosas, a Townhall Media reporter, tweeted a video of what appears to be Keller, wearing his Olympic USA jacket, inside the Capitol on Jan. 6. 

Keller is 6 foot 6 inches tall and the tweeted video shows the former Olympian towering above the morass in the rotunda. Federal prosecutors, in the criminal complaint, compare photos from the tweeted video with Keller’s Colorado’s driver’s license photo.

Isabelle McLemore, a spokeswoman for USA Swimming, said the organization was aware of the incident. In a statement, McLemore said, “We respect private individuals’ and groups’ rights to peacefully protest but in no way condone the actions taken by those at the Capitol last week.” 

Keller will be prosecuted in federal court in Washington, D.C.