webfact Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Prosecutors say Oath Keepers militia members conspired in U.S. Capitol siege By Sarah N. Lynch FILE PHOTO: Pro-Trump protesters storm into the Capitol, January 6. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prosecutors on Tuesday said three people affiliated with a far-right militia group conspired to breach the U.S. Capitol, the first time they have directly accused people of organizing the violent Jan. 6 uprising that left five people dead. Thomas Edward Caldwell, 65, of Clarke County, Virginia, whom investigators said has a leadership role in the Oath Keepers group, was named in a criminal complaint as having participated in the Capitol riots by President Donald Trump's supporters. His fellow members Jessica Watkins, 38, of Champaign County, Ohio, and Donovan Ray Crowl, also of Ohio, were also charged, and the three are accused of conspiring "to forcibly storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021," prosecutors said. Caldwell, Watkins and Crowl are accused of conspiring against the United States and conspiring to prevent the government from discharging its duties, among other offenses. A federal prosecutor told a judge presiding over Caldwell's initial court appearance on Tuesday it was "likely" additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues, including rioting and seditious conspiracy. "The weight of the evidence here is very much strong," said Christopher Kavanaugh, the prosecutor. Caldwell, who told the judge he is on disability after retiring from the U.S. Navy, said he looks forward to proving at trial that "every single charge is false." In an amended complaint filed by the government on Tuesday, investigators revealed they had collected messages suggesting the defendants extensively plotted the attack. In one, Watkins can be heard saying: “We have a good group. We have about 30-40 of us. We are sticking together and sticking to the plan.” Another message Caldwell received during the attack said: "All members are in the tunnels under capital seal them in. Turn on gas.” After Caldwell apparently verified he was inside the Capitol, he received other messages which read:“Tom take that bitch over;” “Tom all legislators are down in the Tunnels 3floors down." In other Facebook messages, Caldwell later posted comments about the siege, writing: "Us storming the castle. Please share... I am such an instigator!" A federal magistrate judge in the Western District of Virginia said Caldwell should be held in custody, noting the alleged conduct reflects "pure lawlessness and contempt" for the country's laws. Watkins and Crowl, meanwhile, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on Tuesday where a judge ordered both will be held in custody pending detention hearings. None of the three defendants has entered a plea yet. Asked by a federal judge if she understood the charges against her, Watkins said: "I understand what you said. I don't understand how I got them." Crowl, meanwhile, stifled a laugh when he was asked if he understood the maximum penalties he was facing. Jon Schaffer, a guitarist for the Indiana heavy metal band Iced Earth who was photographed during the riot wearing an Oath Keepers cap, is accused of using bear spray on police officers as the crowd tried to force its way past them, but was not named in the conspiracy. As arrests by have mounted since the riot, criminal complaints have revealed that many of the suspects have ties to fringe groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, another right-wing group. Others have been characterized as white supremacists and Nazi sympathizers, or believers in QAnon - a far-right conspiracy theory that casts Trump as a savior figure and elite Democrats as a cabal of Satanist pedophiles and cannibals. In one such case, a federal magistrate judge ordered Army Reservist and alleged Neo-Nazi sympathizer Timothy Louis Hale-Cusanelli to be held in custody pending a detention hearing for his role in the Capitol riots. In court, the prosecutor said Hale-Cusanelli's military and security clearance status are under review, and that the FBI uncovered an assortment of white supremacist and extremist literature at his home, including a copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. Another federal prosecutor on Tuesday revealed the government expected to file new charges against Riley Williams, who is accused of stealing a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the siege. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, and Brad Heath and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by Dan Grebler) -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-20 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post candide Posted January 19, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 19, 2021 8 minutes ago, webfact said: In court, the prosecutor said Hale-Cusanelli's military and security clearance status are under review, and that the FBI uncovered an assortment of white supremacist and extremist literature at his home, including a copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. It show liberal posters are completely biased about Trump supporters! Some of them read books! ???? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdemundo Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Jerk, Caldwell, who is on disability and probably blathering how he hates socialism. Career Navy so lived off the taxes of others his whole life. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Looks like donalds going to have lots of company in prison 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 1 hour ago, webfact said: In other Facebook messages, Caldwell later posted comments about the siege, writing: "Us storming the castle. Please share... I am such an instigator!" I'd say this guy is dumber than a bag of rocks, but concerned the bag of rocks will sue me for defamation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jeffr2 Posted January 20, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 20, 2021 I thought the right wing'ers claimed this coup attempt was instigated by BLM? What's going on here? The truth? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallGuyJohninBKK Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) More insurrectionists arrested, including a Proud Boys organizer: Proud Boys organizer arrested in Florida over riot at Capitol "ORLANDO, Fla. —Two Florida men, including a self-described organizer for the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, were arrested Wednesday on charges of taking part in the siege of the U.S. Capitol earlier this month, authorities said. Joseph Biggs, 37, was arrested in central Florida and faces charges of obstructing an official proceeding before Congress, entering a restricted area on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol and disorderly conduct. ... Ahead of the riot, Biggs told followers of his on the social media app Parler to dress in black to resemble the far-left antifa movement, according to the affidavit." https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/21/proud-boys-organizer-arrested-florida-461022 "Stand back and stand by," as Trump once told them... while you go to jail! And better not be counting on a Trump presidential pardon any more!!! PS -- Note the final quoted sentence of the article above, with the Proud Boys organizer telling his followers to dress in black in an attempt to be seen as Antifa followers. Edited January 21, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now