US Charges Nine Oath Keepers With Conspiring to Storm Capitol
A federal grand jury indicted nine associates of the “Oath Keepers” militia on Friday for conspiring to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6 to prevent Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory, adding to a…
A federal grand jury indicted nine associates of the “Oath Keepers” militia on Friday for conspiring to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6 to prevent Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory, adding to a list of defendants with ties to the far-right anti-government group.
In a superseding indictment, the U.S. charged six people allegedly connected to Oath Keepers – Ohio residents Sandra Ruth Parker, 60, and her husband Bennie Alvin Parker, 70, Graydon Young, 54, of Florida, Kelly Meggs, 52, and his 59-year-old wife Connie Meggs, also of Florida, and Laura Steele, 52, of North Carolina.
The remaining three defendants – Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl – were previously indicted for conspiracy in January. In the latest version of the indictment, the government filed additional charges against Caldwell for tampering with evidence by deleting his Facebook posts.
Caldwell and Watkins have pleaded not guilty. Crowl has not yet entered a plea.
The indictment alleges that the group conspired as far back as November to storm the Capitol, and extensively planned for a military-style attack that even contemplated staging an armed “quick reaction force” outside the city that would be ready to move if ordered by then President Donald Trump.
According to the indictment, Kelly Meggs is a self-described leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers.
In a Facebook post in late December, Kelly Meggs posted a message about the upcoming Jan. 6 rally: “Trump said It’s gonna be wild!!!!!!! It’s gonna be wild!!!!!!! He wants us to make it WILD that’s what he’s saying. He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild!!! Sir Yes Sir!!! Gentlemen we are heading to DC pack your s***!!”
More than 200 people have been charged so far for their roles in the Capitol riots that left five people dead and caused members of Congress to flee.