Laura Steele

Laura Steele, a former North Carolina police officer from Thomasville who joined the Oath Keepers just days before the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, donned paramilitary gear and marched up the east side of the U.S. Capitol in a coordinated military "stack" formation with eleven other group members, hands on shoulders, before the group breached a door and stormed the building; the day after the riot, she and her brother, Graydon Young, used a backyard burn pit to destroy evidence of their involvement. She pleaded not guilty to all charges; a jury convicted her in March 2023 of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging a duty, destruction of government property, and tampering with documents or proceedings, all felonies. She was sentenced on 9/15/2023 to 12 months and one day of incarceration, 36 months of supervised release including 6 months of home detention, a $625 special assessment, and 100 hours of community service.