US Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller is ordered to stay away from Washington, DC, until after Biden's inauguration after he was charged with participating in Capitol riots
A five-time Olympic swimming medalist charged with participating in a deadly riot at the US Capitol was released from federal custody on Thursday but ordered to stay away from Washington, DC until after next week's inauguration.
Klete Keller, who lives in Colorado, appeared during a brief hearing in Denver federal court following his arrest on charges brought by prosecutors in Washington.
At the insistence of prosecutors, Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty said Keller could not travel to Washington before January 21.
After that, Keller is allowed to travel to Washington for court appearances and to meet with his lawyers but he must ask for permission for future visits to see his children in North Carolina after a trip already scheduled for this weekend.
Keller did not have to pay money to be released but promised to appear at future court hearings and comply with other standard conditions, including not possessing firearms.
Keller was charged Wednesday in federal court in Washington after a video emerged that appeared to show him among those storming the Capitol last week.
Screenshots from the video were included in a court document charging him with knowingly entering a restricted building to impede an official government function, disorderly conduct and obstructing law officers.
Klete Keller, circled, was among the rioters inside the Capitol on Wednesday
The 38-year-old from Las Vegas was among the mob, but was not seen attacking police
Keller, wearing his Team USA swim jacket and standing 6'6' tall, was easily spotted
Thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol during a joint session of Congress on January 6 while lawmakers met to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.
The 38-year-old Keller competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.
He captured two golds and a silver as a member of the 800-meter freestyle relay, as well as a pair of individual bronzes in the 400 free.
Keller held off Australian great Ian Thorpe on the anchor leg of the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Games to win gold for the United States.
He also set the American record for the 400m freestyle in 2004 and the world record for the 800m relay in 2007. Both records have since been broken.
Keller's alleged participation in the Capitol protest was first reported this week by SwimSwam, a site dedicated to covering competitive swimming and other aquatic sports.
It pointed to video posted to social media by Townhall reporter Julio Rosas, which showed a tall man wearing a US Olympic team jacket among the rioters as officers attempted to clear the Rotunda.
SwimSwam said at least a dozen people within the sport have identified the man as Keller after reviewing the video and screenshots.
The 38-year-old Keller competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. He is seen above after a 4x200 meter freestyle relay heat at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing
Keller of the US stands with his gold medal after the men's 200m freestyle event at the Pan Pacific 2006 swimming championships in Victoria, Canada, in August 2006
Keller is pictured collecting his bronze medal for the 400m freestyle at the 2004 Olympics
Keller is seen winning the 4 x 200m freestyle relay swimming heat at 2008 Beijing Olympics
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee addressed the controversy in a statement on Wednesday as it awaited confirmation from law enforcement
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee denounced the riots in a statement on Wednesday amid allegations Keller was involved.
'First off, I strongly condemn the actions of the rioters at the U.S. Capitol. They do not represent the values of the United States of America or of Team USA,' USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
'At home, and around the world, Team USA athletes are held to a very high standard as they represent our country on the field of play and off. What happened in Washington, D.C., was a case where that standard was clearly not met.
'The people involved attacked the very fabric of the democracy we all proudly represent and, in turn, also let our community down. I urge everyone associated with Team USA to continue to celebrate our diversity of background and beliefs, stand together against hatred and divisiveness, and use our influence to create positive change in our community,' she added.
Keller pictured as part of the 2008 Olympic team
The Las Vegas-born swimmer now works as a real estate broker.
A woman who answered the phone for the Colorado and Ohio-based real estate agency where Keller works told Reuters Tuesday: 'We are not commenting on anything right now', before hanging up.
Keller struggled to adjust to post-Olympic life after 2008, according to the SwimSwam website.
He told the Olympic Channel podcast that swimming had set high expectations for his success, which made him 'entitled' in the workplace, and a poor worker.
'I'll be honest I wasn't a good employee for the longest time because I expected it all to come to me as easily as swimming did,' Keller said.
'Once things started going south, I lost that enthusiasm.'
In 2014, he and his wife got divorced, after which he lived out of his car for about 10 months.
In an interview with USA Swimming, Keller explained that he did not have visitation rights to see his children for four years.
'It's a slow leadup of shirking responsibility, and just letting the little things slide every day.
(L-R) Klete Keller, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay of the USA pose following victory and a new world record in the Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Final during the XII FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia
'It eventually builds a critical mass and once that critical mass is built it's that last final straw that breaks the camel's back,' Keller told the Olympic Channel, according to SwimSwam.
He said his outlook on life was getting 'lower and lower,' but he was saved by his sister Kalyn Keller, 35, also a professional swimmer who represented the U.S. in the 2004 Olympics.
He worked through this time by teaching swim lessons and running swim clinics.
According to The New York Times, Keller has deleted his social media accounts, several of which the publication said had included a stream of pro-Trump messaging in recent years.
At a press briefing on Friday, the most senior federal prosecutor in the District of Columbia said his office has brought 98 criminal prosecutions to date and has opened investigations into more than 275 people in connection with the Capitol riots.
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