Sentencing delayed for Sullivan woman seen holding Nancy Pelosi’s sign in Capitol riot

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - A Sullivan, Missouri woman seen holding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s sign during the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, has had her sentencing delayed.

During a video conference in January, Emily Hernandez, 22, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering a restricted building. In a court filing last week, prosecutors wrote they were requesting Hernandez serve a 45-day prison sentence, one-year of supervised release, 60 hours of community service and pay a $500 restitution.

The riot happened as Congress was meeting to vote to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral win. Law enforcement officials across the country worked to locate and arrest suspects who committed federal crimes and have brought dozens of cases in federal court and the District of Columbia Superior Court.

In videos - published on a United Kingdom-based station, ITV News - Hernandez was seen with a broken wooden sign that read “Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.” The FBI also received photos of Hernandez holding the wooden sign in front of the crowd, as well as screenshots of her Snapchat videos of herself at the riot. The FBI said the nameplate would cost $870 to replace.

Hernandez, a 2018 graduate of Sullivan High School, later turned herself into the FBI office in St. Louis. The US Attorney’s Office did not ask that she be detained during her first virtual hearing. According to federal documents, she faced the following charges:

• Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds
• Disorderly conduct impedes the conduct of government business
• Steal, sell, convey or dispose of anything of value of the United States
• Disruptive conduct in the Capitol buildings
• Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the Capitol buildings

Hernandez’s attorney told News 4 she has her whole life ahead of her and she wants to deal with what happened and get it behind her.

“The charges that she’s charged with do not include her threatening anyone, harming anyone or damaging any property, none of that. So it’s more of a case when it comes to her, of being swept into the mass delirium of that event,” said attorney Ethan Corliga.

Earlier this year, Hernandez was arrested for driving while intoxicated following a deadly crash on eastbound Interstate 44 in Franklin County. No action has been taken to her license. She faces up to a $100,000 fine for her role in the Capitol riot.

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