Prosecutors Seek 45-Day Prison Sentence For Bradley Rukstales, First Illinois Resident To Plead Guilty In Capitol Insurrection

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Federal prosecutors have asked for a 45-day sentence for Bradley Rukstales – a former tech CEO who pleaded guilty to charges in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Rukstales' exclusive interview with CBS 2's Charlie De Mar has been presented as evidence against the defendant. A partial transcript of the interview Rukstales gave to De Mar the day he got back from Washington, D.C. is listed in the federal sentencing memo.

Rukstales, of Inverness, pleaded guilty to his role in the riot in August.

He had been the chief executive officer of Schaumburg-based tech company Cogensia. He was fired by the company the same day he was hit with federal charges for his role in the riot.

"It turned into chaos," Rukstales said of the riot when he talked to De Mar on Jan. 7.

He added: "I had nothing to do with charging anybody or anything or any of that. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time - and I regret my part in that. That's all I'm comfortable saying."

De Mar then asked Rukstales if he was inside the Capitol the day before. Rukstales said he was.

As Capitol Police retreated down a flight of stairs that winter day, federal prosecutors said chairs tumbled down behind them. Rukstales is accused of throwing one of those chairs.

Charging documents say he "picked up one of the chairs at the bottom of the stairwell, and threw it in the direction of where the officers had retreated down the corridor."

As police yelled for people to leave, one of the officers brushed up against Rukstales from behind — his arm stretched out toward officers.

"The officer immediately turned around, brought Rukstales to the ground, and he and another officers dragged Rukstales behind their defensive line to be arrested," the charges alleged.

It took at least three officers to get Rukstales under arrest after he refused to comply with orders to leave the building, prosecutors said.

Rukstales was initially charged with unlawful entry in D.C. Superior Court, and federal prosecutors also later charged him with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; or knowingly, with intent to impede government business or official functions, engaging in disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

"Everything that happened yesterday, I think, was terrible. I'm sorry for my part in it," Rukstales told De Mar on Jan. 7.

Rukistales was the first Illinois resident to plead guilty in the riots.