Kriti Mehrotra
Although Arizona siblings Felicia and Cory Konold claim they were just on a road trip when they ended up being part of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, reports indicate they were prepared for it. That’s because they had camouflage uniforms, eye protection, helmets, tactical vests, and radio equipment, along with bright orange tape affixed to their tactical gear to easily identify one another. However, as per the latter’s narrative in HBO’s ‘The Insurrectionist Next Door,’ this was a last-minute decision he’d made to ensure there was an extra layer of protection on his best friend/sister.
Cory said, “My sister wanted to go on a road trip, and I at first didn’t want to, but then rethinking about it, I was like, ‘Alright, that sounds like a good deal — keep my sister safe, have a fun road trip.’We ended up being in DC on the same day and seeing that there was a protest, we were like, ‘Well, we’ve never been to one.’ I’d heard about all these Black Lives Matter and other rallies [getting] kind of violent, so you know, it was a little bit of forethought on my end. [I] was at least like, I wanted to be able to be a protector and get [my elder sister] out of any situation” if a quick need arose.
Yet it soon came to light Felicia had already been in contact with a Kansas City chapter of the far-right, neo-fascist militant group Proud Boys as a possible recruit — they’d partly organized this attack. Then there’s the fact she’d also uploaded a video on her Snapchat account clearly stating, “I never could have imagined having this much of an influence on the events that unfolded today. We did it.” So, with this as well as hours of other footage from the fateful day, the FBI ascertained this sibling duo was at the forefront of rioters as they overwhelmed police and forced their way into the Capitol.
Where Are Felicia and Cory Konold Now?
It was on February 11, 2021, that Felicia and Cory were both arrested from near their respective Arizona homes, only to be formally indicted on five different counts each nearly 15 days later. They are charged with civil disorder while aiding/abetting, conspiracy, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted area without authority, and obstruction of an official proceeding. This duo actually pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on March 23, and they’ve since been stuck in their home state awaiting trial — their February 18 bail release specified they can’t leave.
Since then, though, Felicia and Cory’s attorney has indicated the siblings are dealing with quite a few “vulnerabilities” that “played a role in their presence… and their actions” in Washington on January 6. These range from childhood issues to physical injuries, especially with the former’s “near-death automobile accident in 2020 from which she is still recovering,” as it’d resulted in substantial brain trauma. “That comes on the heels of approximately 16 concussions over the course of her young life breaking horses,” the lawyer later added. “…These aren’t bad people, they don’t have prior criminal history.”
Parkour enthusiast Cory, now in his late 20s, actually touched upon these personal “vulnerabilities” in the HBO documentary too, declaring, “I could presume at some level [I knew what we were doing that day] was wrong, but I didn’t quite understand the extent of it. I am not the brightest; I was in special education in school growing up. I grew up on eating bagel bites, pizza roles, and hot pockets. I come from a very broken family.”
As for the Proud Boys connection, Felicia asserts she’d only come across members on that fateful day just for them to help her and Cory navigate the area in such a manner that they felt safe. This proud mother of two then added, “I’d heard of them in passing [before January 6], but I didn’t know what the group was, what it was made out of. I didn’t know their mission. I just thought it was a guy group.” Coming to the tactical gear; well, her narrative is different as she insists she already owned it and had brought it along because she knew Washington was going to be a stop.
In fact, with Cory openly admitting he had voted for President Joe Biden in the 2020 elections and does not believe there was any voter fraud, the original production does make it seem like he just got dragged along in a mess while trying to protect his elder sister. Nevertheless, in the end, in late 2023, they both ended up pleading guilty to obstruction of law enforcement during civil disobedience as well as aiding and abetting. They were hence sentenced in early 2024, with the 29-year-old Emergency Veterinary Technician plus proud mother of two receiving 45 days in prison, whereas her 28-year-old brother was handed down 30 days. And now, following their release, they remain under state supervision for a total of 24 months.
Read More: Jason Riddle: Where is the January 6th Rioter Now?
