Federal prosecutors indicted six members of the Oath Keepers militia, who the government added as co-defendants to an existing indictment for three alleged Oath Keepers. Seven of the group were part of a tactical “stack” of people dressed in combat gear who pushed through crowds to enter the Capitol, the government said. The nine were indicted by a grand jury on charges that included conspiracy to corruptly obstruct, influence, or impede an official proceeding, destruction of property and restricted buildings or grounds charges. The indictment also charges two men with obstructing the investigation. Prosecutors say the group donned paramilitary gear and used military-style tactics — keeping hands on each other’s backs to communicate as they marched up the steps of the Capitol — and coordinated with other Oath Keepers before and during the attack, using apps like MeWe and Zello. The six charged 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 North Carolina resident Laura Steele, 52. Thomas Caldwell, 65, Jessica Watkins, 38, and Donovan Crowl, 50, are also included in Friday’s new indictment, though the three had already been indicted by a grand jury in January. The Oath Keepers are a loosely-organized collection of militia, prosecutors say, which focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement and first-responders. The group believes the federal government has been “co-opted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights,” prosecutors say, and the group’s name comes from the oath of members of the military and law enforcement to defend the Constitution “from all enemies, foreign and domestic.” The complaint details an email sent January 4 from oathkeepers.org, with a subject line, “Call to Action: Oath Keepers Deploying to DC to Protect Events, Speakers & Attendees on Jan 5-6: Time to Stand!” The email noted that the group would have “well armed and equipped QRF teams on standby,” referring to the military acronym for “quick reaction force,” in case of a scenario “where the President calls us up as part of the militia to to [sic] assist him inside DC.”
