North Carolina woman charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot weeks after husband was charged

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A North Carolina woman has been charged in the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, just a few weeks after her husband was charged.

Virginia Spencer was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Her husband, Christopher Raphael Spencer, of Pilot Mountain, was the first federal arrest by the FBI in North Carolina in connection to the riot.

Chaos at the Capitol: Minute-by-minute video shows how riots, violence unfolded

"Unfortunately, we can now add Jan. 6, 2021 to that very short list of dates in American history that will live forever in infamy," said Sen. Chuck Schumer. See how things escalated in our minute-by-minute video as chaos erupted.

According to the complaint filed in court, Virginia said they originally were going to travel to D.C. as part of a caravan but then decided to drive separately.

The FBI said in the complaint that video showed the couple inside the crypt.

"Bro, they stormed the Capitol," Christopher was heard saying. "Bro...pushed the cops out of the way, everything...took it over."

He also at one point asked "Where's Nancy's office?" according to the complaint.

During the approximately 20 minutes the couple was inside the Capitol, the FBI said they did not appear to search for an exit.

"Instead, (Christopher) joins in with the chanting and comments to his viewers on Facebook Live," the complaint said.

Virginia appeared in federal court in Durham on Monday. She is at least the third North Carolina resident to be charged federally in connection with the riot.