Inadequate cell phone coverage is thwarting the latest efforts by federal authorities to keep tabs on the whereabouts of a Mercer County woman charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot.

Just days after a federal judge approved a request by prosecutors to monitor Rachel Powell’s location using GPS, those same prosecutors say they have now learned that the device won’t work at Powell’s rural home because of poor cell phone coverage needed for such monitoring.

According to a government motion, while Powell is in her home and outside the GPS monitoring range, her Pretrial Services Officer would get repeated notifications, even throughout the night, that the GPS monitoring cannot locate Powell.

The government’s proposed solution is to ask the judge to order strict home confinement for Powell, saying she would still be able to perform many of her work duties on a phone or computer.

Prosecutors say Powell has violated the conditions of her release twice, by first going to a brewery during her work hours and second, by leaving her residence during her home confinement hours as she awaits a November 15 trial.

Powell, the so-called "pink hat lady" and "bullhorn lady" was charged after being seen on video footage of people storming the Capitol based supporting Donald Trump's repeated false claims of election fraud.

An affidavit says Powell was seen using the bullhorn to give instructions about the layout of the Capitol building and instructing others on how to "take this building."

The Sandy Lake mother of eight faces trial on charges including obstruction, destruction of US property over $1,000, entering a restricted building or property with a dangerous weapon, entering a restricted building/property, and disorderly conduct.

More than 800 people have been charged in connection with the effort to stop congress from certifying Joseph Biden as the winner in the race for US President in 2020. Seven of those people are from the Valley.