As announced by U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan, a couple from Pittsburgh has entered guilty pleas concerning charges of obstructing law enforcement during a 2023 protest at the University of Pittsburgh. Krystal DiPippa, 42, confessed to one count of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder. Her husband, Brian DiPippa, 37, admitted to one count of conspiracy and an additional count of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
The guilty pleas stem from an incident where Brian DiPippa ignited and dropped homemade smoke bomb containers amidst a public gathering, creating chaos. Compounding the disruption, with his wife's assistance in concealment, he also launched a large explosive firework towards the line of officers, resulting in injuries. "The DiPippas went to this event not for the purpose of having their voices heard in a protest, but instead for the purpose of using this protest as a means of cover so that they could disrupt the protest and conceal themselves in a crowd while carrying out a cowardly attack on police officers," declared U.S. Attorney Olshan in a statement obtained by the Justice Department.
Throughout the judicial process, it was emphasized that the right to peaceful protest should not be abused as a facade for violence. Kevin Rojek, FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge, aired his concern, stating that while the First Amendment ensures the right to peaceful protest, it does not extend to "injuring, maiming, and leaving lasting impacts to victims by launching explosives." This misuse of constitutional rights, according to Rojek, "had very real consequences, not only for these individuals, but also for the law enforcement officers who were violently targeted while trying to ensure public safety," as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan has scheduled the DiPippas' sentencing for January 6, 2025. Each charge carries a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Brian DiPippa has been in custody since his June 30, 2023 arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is handling the case, which the FBI, Joint Terrorism Task Force, University of Pittsburgh Police, ATF, and Pittsburgh Police investigated.
