Federal prosecutors have indicted six members of the Oath Keepers militia, which the government has added as co-defendants to an existing charge for three alleged Oath Keepers. Seven of the group were part of a tactical “pile” of people dressed in combat gear who pushed through the crowd to enter the Capitol, the government said.
The nine were indicted by a grand jury on allegations of conspiracy to obstruct, influence or obstruct any official proceeding, destruction of property and restricted buildings or land for corruption. The indictment also accuses two men of obstructing the investigation.
Prosecutors say the group donned paramilitary gear and used military-style tactics – holding each other’s backs to communicate as they ascended the steps of the Capitol – and coordinated with other Oath Keepers before and during the attack, using apps like MeWe and Zello .
The six charged on Friday are Ohio residents, Sandra Parker, 60, and Bennie Parker, 70, and Florida residents, Kelly Meggs, 52, Connie Meggs, 59, and Graydon Young, 54, and Laura Steele, 52, resident of North Carolina. Thomas Caldwell, 65, Jessica Watkins, 38, and Donovan Crowl, 50, are also included in Friday’s new indictment, although the three were indicted by a grand jury back in January.
The Oath Keepers are a loosely organized collection of militias, prosecutors say, focused on recruiting current and former servicemen, law enforcement officers and first-responders. The group believes the federal government has been “ co-opted by a shadowy conspiracy seeking to deprive US citizens of their rights, ” prosecutors say, and the group’s name comes from the oath of members of the military and police to the Constitution. “of all enemies, foreign and domestic”.
The complaint describes an email sent January 4 by oathkeepers.org with the subject line: “Call to Action: Deploy Oath Keepers in DC to Protect Events, Speakers and Attendees January 5-6: Time to Stand! ” The email noted that the group would have “ well-armed and equipped QRF teams ready, ” referring to the military acronym for “ rapid response force, ” in the case of a scenario “ where the president is calling us on as part of the militia to [sic] help him in DC. ”
The email also stated, “As always, while we conduct security operations, we will have some of our men in ‘gray man’ mode, with no identifiable Oath Keepers gear on. For every Oath Keeper you see, there are at least two you don ‘t see. “
Prosecutors described the group’s coordination prior to the attack. Kelly Meggs, the self-proclaimed Florida branch leader of the Oath Keepers, is said to have organized combat and firearms training for herself and others in Florida. Sandra and Bennie Parker traveled with Watkins and Crowl from Ohio to Washington, DC, discussing their plans in the weeks leading up to the attack.
Prosecutors say Meggs, who is the general manager at a car dealership, wrote in a Facebook post, “Trump said it’s going to be wild !!!!!!! It’s going to be wild !!!!!!! He wants us to make it. it’s WILD that’s what he says. He called all of us to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild !!! Mister Yes Mister !!! Gentlemen, we’re going to DC, pack your s *** up !! “
Steele sent a five-page document that appeared to be an online filing to the Oath Keepers of Florida on Jan. 3, prosecutors said. In the document, she wrote, “I have 13 years of law enforcement experience in North Carolina. I served as a K-9 officer and a SWAT team member. I currently work at Private Armed Security for [company name redacted]I am a licensed PPS through the North Carolina Private Protective Services. “
Seven members of the group, including Watkins and Crowl, stayed at the same hotel the night before the attack. In the days leading up to Jan. 6, Watkins, the self-appointed commander of the Ohio State Regular Militia, sent messages to people she labeled as recruits on her phone, including Bennie Parker. She advised Parker to pack khaki or brown pants, told him guns were “okay” to bring, and told him that on January 5 they would be going “convoys to the rally point in Virginia.”
When Parker expressed concerns about safety and parking, she replied, “Parking is not a problem, if you join the militia we have a guarded assembly point.”
The group drew attention to their tactical “stack” formation, which experts quickly identified as a military-style strategy, and was a top priority for the US attorney’s incendiary task force.
Watkins texted Parker on Jan. 9, “I’m following the FBI wanted list, it seems they are only interested in people who destroyed things. I wouldn’t worry they would come after us.”