Federal prosecutors have indicted six members of the Oath Keepers militia, which the government added as co-defendants to an existing charge of three alleged Oath Keepers. Seven in the group were part of a tactical “pile” of people dressed in combat clothing who pushed through the crowds to enter the Capitol, the government said.
The nine were indicted by a grand jury on charges that included conspiracy to obstruct, influence or hinder an official process in a corrupt manner, destruction of property and restricted buildings or allegations of pleas. The prosecution also accuses two men of obstructing the investigation.
Prosecutors say the group donned paramilitary equipment and used military-style tactics – keeping hands behind each other to communicate as they climbed the Capitol steps – and coordinated with other Oath Keepers before and during the attack, using apps like MeWe and Zello.
The six defendants 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 Carolina resident North Laura Steele, 52. Thomas Caldwell, 65, Jessica Watkins, 38, and Donovan Crowl, 50, are also included in Friday’s new indictment, although the three were already indicted by a grand jury in January.
The Oath Keepers are a loosely organized collection of militias, prosecutors say, that focus on recruiting current and former military, police and first responders. The group believes that the federal government was “co-opted by an obscure conspiracy that is trying to deprive American citizens of their rights”, prosecutors say, and the group’s name comes from the military and police oath to defend the Constitution “of all enemies, foreign and domestic. “
The complaint details an email sent on January 4 from oathkeepers.org, with a subject line, “Call to Action: Oath Keepers being deployed in DC to protect events, speakers and participants from January 5 to 6: Time to rise!” The e-mail stated that the group would have “QRF teams well armed and equipped to stand by”, referring to the military acronym for “rapid reaction force” in the case of a scenario “where the president calls us as part of the militia to [sic] help you within DC. ”
The email also said: “As always, during security operations, we will have some of our men in ‘gray man’ mode, with no identifiable Oath Keepers equipment. For every Oath Keeper you see, there are at least two you uses I don’t see. “
Prosecutors described the group’s coordination before the attack. Kelly Meggs, who calls herself the Oath Keepers chapter leader in Florida, allegedly 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, and discussed their plans in the weeks leading up to the attack.
Prosecutors say Meggs, who is the general manager of a car dealership, wrote in a message on Facebook: “Trump said it will be too much !!!!!!! It will be too much !!!!!!! He wants it let’s do it IS WILD is what he’s saying. He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make him wild !!! Sir Yes, Sir !!! Gentlemen, we’re going to DC, pack your shit !! “
Steele sent a five-page document that appeared to be an online application for Florida’s Oath Keepers on January 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 member of the SWAT team. I currently work in private armed security for [company name redacted]. I am a PPS licensed through North Carolina Private Protection 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 January 6, Watkins, self-described as commanding officer of the Ohio State Regular Militia, sent messages to people she labeled on her phone as recruits – including Bennie Parker. She advised Parker to bring khaki or beige pants, warned him that the weapons were “ok” to bring and said they “would” be transported to Rally Point in Virginia “on January 5.
When Parker expressed concerns about security and parking, she replied, “Parking is no problem, if you roll with the militia, we have a protected meeting place.”
The group drew attention for its “stack” tactical training, which experts quickly identified as a military-style strategy, and has been a priority for the US prosecutor’s sedition task force.
Watkins texted Parker on January 9: “I’ve been following the FBI’s wanted list, it looks like they’re only interested in people who destroyed things. I wouldn’t worry if they came after us.”