Nine Oath Keeper militia members charged with conspiracy to attack Capitol

Alleged far-right group conspired to storm halls of Congress and stocked a weapons cache, prosecutors say

Federal prosecutors have charged nine alleged members of the far-right anti-government Oath Keepers militia with conspiring to attack the US Capitol on 6 January to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election, among one of the largest indictments in the wake of the insurrection.

Six people believed to be involved with the militia group were added as defendants to an existing indictment for three other alleged members on Friday. Seven others were allegedly among a “stack” of rioters in tactical gear who coordinated their assault on the halls of Congress using messaging apps and social media, according to Justice Department prosecutors.

A 21-page indictment alleges that the defendants “did knowingly combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with each other and others known and unknown” to break into the Capitol building and obstruct the certification of electoral college votes from the 2020 presidential election during a joint session of Congress.

Federal prosecutors said that the militia group has recruited military veterans and former law enforcement officers to join the ranks of the loosely organised group, which believes the government has been “co-opted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights”, according to prosecutors.

The indictment names Graydon Young, Laura Steele, Kelly and Connie Meggs, and Bennie and Sandra Parker. A previous indictment named Jessica Marie Watkins, Donovan Ray Crowl and Thomas Caldwell, all military veterans.

Federal prosecutors allege that militia members attended “paramilitary combat” trainings to prepare for the attack, used social media and messaging apps to recruit others, and brought tactical gear to Washington DC to  “forcibly” storm through police barricades and into the Capitol on 6 January, as a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters fuelled by his election fraud conspiracy theories sought to interrupt and threaten lawmakers certifying the results.

The government said the members created a channel called “Stop the Steal J6” on the walkie-talkie app Zello to plan and execute their operation.

The six-count indictment also charges the defendants with aiding and abetting the obstruction of an official proceeding, destruction of government property, tampering with documents and trespassing.

If Joe Biden was to become the next president, “our way of life as we know it is over,” Ms Watkins wrote on 17 November, according to the indictment. “Our Republic would be over. Then it is our duty as Americans to fight, kill and die for our rights.”

On 22 December, Kelly Meggs wrote inside a Facebook message that she believed Mr Trump’s suggestion that 6 January would be “wild” meant the former president “wants us to make it WILD.”

When then-vice president Mike Pence rejected calls to block votes for Mr Biden, Mr Caldwell allegedly told others that they were “screwed.”

“Pence has punked out,” he texted at 2:06pm as the riot was underway. “Teargassing peaceful protesters at capital steps. Getting rowdy here.”

Moments later, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!”

Prosecutors said that members also created a weapons cache – a Quick Reaction Force, or QRF – outside Washington DC, containing “goodies in case things go bad and we need to get heavy,” Mr Caldwell allegedly told the group.

The US Senate acquitted the former president following his impeachment for inciting the insurrection. At least eight people who were at the Capitol on 6 January have died.

In the wake of the attack, federal law enforcement signalled their effort to level broader, more significant charges against rioters after initial charges and arrests for dozens of people involved with the assault.

Last month, prosecutors charged two members of the violent nationalist gang the Proud Boys with conspiracy to obstruct and interfere with law enforcement at the Capitol.