Rioters storm the Capitol on January 6th. Three people belonging to an extremist group were charged on Wednesday with, among other things, conspiracy and obstruction of an official trial. John Minchillo / AP Hide caption
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John Minchillo / AP
Rioters storm the Capitol on January 6th. Three people belonging to an extremist group were charged on Wednesday with, among other things, conspiracy and obstruction of an official trial.
John Minchillo / AP
Individuals tied to what the Justice Department calls a paramilitary group were charged Wednesday on federal charges related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. You can expect a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Jessica Marie Watkins, 38, and Donovan Ray Crowl, 50, from Champaign County, Ohio, and Thomas Caldwell, 65, from Clarke County, Virginia, were arrested about two weeks after the Washington, DC uprising Ministry of Justice press release said. You will face a range of charges: conspiracy, obstruction of an official process, destruction of state property, and unlawful entry into a restricted building or compound.
All three have ties to the Oath Guards, described by the Justice Department as “a paramilitary organization focused on the recruitment of current and former military, law enforcement and first aid personnel”. The organization encourages its members and potential recruits to uphold their oath in defense of the constitution, according to the Oath Keepers website.
Watkins, Crowl and Caldwell are accused of sharing their plans long before the Washington attack. The Justice Department said the three coordinated their attack on the Capitol. In addition, they documented their participation in the social media attack, investigators said. Watkins posted a video of himself at the Capitol on Parler. “Yes. We stormed the Capitol today. Tear gas, the whole thing, 9,” she said. “We pushed ourselves into the rotunda. We even made it into the Senate.”
Caldwell posted messages like “We’re racing forward. Doors are broken” on Facebook. The department said Watkins and Crowl had confirmed their membership with Oath Keepers in interviews with the media.
