Appeals Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Capitol Officer for Obstructing Jan. 6 Investigation

Michael Riley's attempt to help a rioter evade charges by deleting incriminating messages will stand, court rules.

Michael Riley, a former Capitol Police officer, was convicted of obstruction for advising a rioter to delete Facebook posts.
Riley deleted his own messages with the rioter, Jacob Hiles, after learning of an FBI investigation.
A federal appeals court ruled that Riley's law enforcement background made it foreseeable he would understand the legal implications.
Riley was sentenced to two years of probation and four months of home detention in April 2023.
The court found Riley's arguments to overturn his conviction flawed and insufficient.