A Jan. 6 rioter tried to join the Russian military to fight against Ukraine, feds say

A man on probation for his role in the Jan. 6 attack attempted to flee the country and volunteer for the Russian military’s fight against Ukraine, prosecutors say.

“His intent was not a temporary trip; he intended to permanently relocate to another country,” prosecutors wrote on Wednesday in a six-page memo to U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich. “And his planned travel was for the express purpose of joining a foreign army to take up arms against one of this country’s allies and in opposition to this country’s foreign policy.”

Prosecutors say Kevin Loftus should get a six-month jail sentence — the maximum he could have faced for his misdemeanor crime at the Capitol — as punishment for violating his probation.

It’s a bizarre twist in an otherwise routine case stemming from the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when thousands of supporters of Donald Trump surged onto Capitol grounds to impede the transfer of power from Trump to Joe Biden. Trump has pledged to pardon many of the participants in the riot, but it’s unclear how broadly he will extend those pardons.

Loftus, who was an active-duty soldier in the U.S. army for six years, pleaded guilty in 2021 to a single misdemeanor count of parading in the Capitol. He admitted to trespassing in the building and taking pictures while inside. Friedrich sentenced him in March 2022 to three years of probation.

Prosecutors say Loftus attempted to check into a flight from Dallas to Tbilisi, Georgia, on Oct. 28 but was blocked when Turkish Airlines received a security flag. Two days later, he drove hundreds of miles north of the Dallas area without following court-ordered procedures to seek permission before leaving northern Texas. Loftus was arrested in Iowa on Oct. 31.

After his arrest, prosecutors say Loftus admitted he intended to obtain a 90-day visa to travel from Georgia to Russia, where he planned to seek temporary residency. He said he had already sent $1,200 to help purchase equipment for Russian soldiers.

“Loftus said his intent was to fight for Russia and against Ukraine,” prosecutors wrote.

A review of Loftus’ phone by the FBI showed that he had been communicating on Telegram with an account under the moniker “GrishaPutin,” which was advising him on how to travel to Russia.

“Among several topics discussed between the two, Loftus discussed taking ‘2 russian language lessons a week’ specifically with an ‘asylum and artillery focus,’” the FBI found. “Grisha provided Loftus in-depth instructions on how to report to Russian authorities and the necessary logistics Loftus should know as a foreigner attempting to join the Russian military. This included a list of items to bring in preparation for entering Russia and volunteering with the Russian military.”

Loftus isn’t the first Jan. 6 defendant who has attempted to flee the country. The FBI has repeatedly sought help in apprehending defendant Evan Neumann, who is believed to be residing in Belarus.