Chief oath keeper accused of conspiracy in Capitol Riot



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Thomas Caldwell, a leader of an extremist anti-government militia, faces the first charge of federal conspiracy over his alleged role in the assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Posted on January 19, 2021 at 3:05 p.m. ET


Pacific Press / Pacific Press / LightRocket via Ge

Rioters storm the US Capitol on January 6.

Federal prosecutors have filed the first conspiracy charge in the U.S. Capitol’s attempted coup against the head of a far-right militia that allegedly planned and coordinated the deadly Jan.6 assault.

Thomas Caldwell, 65, was arrested in Virginia on Tuesday and charged with conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, obstructing a formal process, violent entry or disorderly conduct and illegally entering a building with restricted access.

The conspiracy charge alone carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The complaint against Caldwell illustrates that among the hundreds of disorganized and frantic pro-Trump rioters, there were members of extremist groups who moved “in an organized and practical manner” to storm the Capitol in the attempt to coup that left five dead.

Caldwell’s Facebook posts show that he was involved in leading an “organized group” of eight to ten members of the Oath Keepers to force their way into the Capitol and obstruct the count of the electoral votes that would confirm the victory of Joe Biden, according to the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors described the Oath Keepers as “a large but loosely organized group of militiamen who believe the federal government has been co-opted by a shadowy plot that attempts to deprive American citizens of their rights.”

The extremist group focuses on recruiting military personnel, law enforcement and first responders, current and former, and the name refers to the oath taken by the military and police to defend the constitution “of all enemies, foreigners and nationals ”.

Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images

Men from the Oath Keepers attend the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 in Washington, DC.

Caldwell has been referred to as “Commander” or “Commander Tom” by other members of the militia, according to the complaint.

On January 1, Caldwell sent a Facebook message about hotel arrangements at the Comfort Inn in Arlington, Virginia, to members of the Oath Keepers from January 5 to January 7.

“It’s a good location and it would allow us to hunt at night if we wanted to,” Caldwell said in the post.

Records showed that a room at the Comfort Inn was rented Jan. 5-7 as “Jessica Wagkins,” in reference to Jessica Watkins – another member of the Oath Keepers and Ohio militia who was arrested and charged. Donovan Crowl, a former Marine and a member of an Ohio militia affiliated with the Oath Keepers, has also been charged with his alleged role in the attempted coup.

Watkins and Crowl have both been charged with being in a restricted building or land, violent entry or disorderly conduct and obstructing formal process.

On January 6, Caldwell posted a video message to Facebook that appears to come from inside the Capitol. In a subsequent post he wrote: “We stormed the castle. Please share. Sharon was right with me! I’m such an instigator! She was up for this man. I didn’t even mind the teargas.” (We don’t know who Sharon is.)

Two minutes later, he texted saying, “Proud boys clashed with the cops and led them inside to hide. They broke through the doors. A guy walked all the way to the door. floor of the house, another at Pelosi’s office. Good time. “

He then sent another message saying, “We need to do this locally. Let’s go storm the Ohio capital. Tell me when!”

The complaint cited videos showing the group of Oath Keepers members wearing helmets, reinforced vests and clothing with their group’s paraphernalia, “aggressively approaching” the entrance to the Capitol.

They “move in an organized and practiced manner and make their way to the front of the crowd gathered around a door of the United States Capitol,” says the complaint.

Prosecutors said last week they expected to charge some people with conspiracy or sedition.

A lawyer for Caldwell could not be identified immediately.

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