LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) – Former University of Southern California swimmer Klete Keller, who won two gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team, has been charged in connection with the U.S. Capitol riots.
U.S. swimmer Klete Keller smiles after winning the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay swimming heat at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 12, 2008. (Getty Images)
Keller was charged after a video allegedly showed him in the Capitol building on Jan. 6 donning a USA Olympics team jacket.
A still image from the video appearing to show Keller in the Capitol Rotunda was included in criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. district court charging the 38-year-old with obstructing law enforcement engaged in official duties incident to civil disorder, knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds.
It’s unclear at this time if he is in federal custody.
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.
He swam for USC from 2000 to 2002.
Keller’s social media accounts have been shut down, but they reportedly showed he was an outspoken supporter of Trump.
Keller, who grew up in Arizona, was working in Colorado as an independent contractor for real estate firm Hoff & Leigh, which said on its web site that he advised “industrial landlords and sellers on maximizing the value of their industrial asset.”
Hoff & Leigh released a statement on Tuesday saying Keller has resigned.
“Hoff & Leigh supports the right of free speech and lawful protest,” the company said. “But we cannot condone actions that violate the rule of law.”
Keller struggled to adjust to post-Olympic life.
In interviews with the Olympic Channel podcast and USA Swimming, he admitted to being a poor employee and feeling entitled because of his athletic success. The problems carried over to his personal life, which resulted in a divorce that left him living in his car for 10 months and a loss of visitation rights that prevented him from seeing his children for years.
He credited his family and specifically his sister for helping him get his life back on track.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
