Ocean County real estate agent pleads guilty to role in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol

TOMS RIVER - A local real estate agent and small business owner pleaded guilty Tuesday to participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to federal court records.

Robert Coppotelli, 28, of Toms River, admitted to one count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in the Capitol complex and one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing at the Capitol. Two other misdemeanors for knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and for a disorderly persons offense, were dropped as part of a broader plea agreement reached on Aug. 14.

When Coppotelli is sentenced at the end of the year, he faces a maximum term of one year in prison and up to $10,000 in fines, as well as damage costs to the Capitol assessed at $500 for Coppotelli, according to the agreement.

Initial report: Toms River man faces January 6 charges , wore name on clothes during riot, FBI says

The defendant was identified from video recordings taken in and around the Capitol on the date of the attack by third-parties, which were reviewed during the investigation.

Coppotelli is seen in the mob wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, a black hat under the red hood, a surgical-style, blue facemask and a dark-colored jacket with the name of his Toms River company — Coppotelli Heavy Equipment Sales & Services, Inc. — embroidered into the front and back, along with its 732 area code.

The Capitol’s surveillance videos show that Coppotelli approached the Capitol building from the west, at a time when “grossly outnumbered police officers fought to keep an amassing crowd of hundreds from approaching the Capitol building,” according to the complaint.

The video then captures Coppotelli scaling the northwest staircase, which leads from the west plaza to the first floor of the Capitol building.

Shortly after, Coppotelli entered the Capitol building through the Senate Wing door, about 11 minutes after the mob first breached the complex at this entrance, the FBI reported.

Twelve minutes later, he exited the building by crawling through a broken window adjacent to the Senate Wing door, according to the court records.

Coppotelli is now working as a real estate agent in Ocean County and still uses the same mobile business number for client calls.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ocean County real estate agent pleads guilty to role in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol