Three Rioters Face Charges Related To Conspiracy At The Capitol Riot

Federal conspiracy charges were filed against three who allegedly participated at the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege that the three people, who appear to belong to a militia group, acted in an “organized and practiced fashion” and suggested gassing people who were evacuated from the building taking shelter in the tunnels, The WSJ reported. When officials searched the residence of one of the accused, they found instructions on how to create explosives using bleach.

The three people were allegedly with a group who attempted to enter through doors between the House and Senate chambers, according to The WSJ. The group was reportedly seen on video with eight to 10 other people who were wearing helmets, tactical vests and clothing with various symbols and colors known to represent the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group.

Oath Keepers militia members arrested for role in U.S. Capitol siege https://t.co/qMjcvj2P03 pic.twitter.com/p0wfRxJaiF

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 19, 2021

Alleged Oath Keeper members Thomas Caldwell, Donovan Crowl and Jessica Watkins were arrested in connection with a group that seemed to move in a military formation, according to the WSJ. One person in the group allegedly said that “we have a good group. We have about 30-40 of us. We are sticking together and sticking to the plan.”

Caldwell was arrested Tuesday and Crowl and Watkins were both arrested Monday, according to the Department of Justice. All three were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, obstructing an official proceeding, conspiring to injure officers and destroying federal property.

Caldwell allegedly received a Facebook message saying, “all members are in the tunnels under capital seal them in. Turn on gas,” according to The WSJ. He received other messages saying “Tom all legislators are down in the Tunnels 3floors down,” and “Do like we had to do when I was in the core start tearing oit florrs (sic) go from top to bottom.”

Caldwell described a hotel in Arlington, Virginia, as “a good location and would allow us to hunt at night if we wanted to,” according to The WSJ. He told an unnamed person to book a room there from Jan. 5 through Jan. 7, and a person named “Jessica Wagkins” made a reservation.

The Oath Keepers are a “large but loosely organized” militia who believe that the federal government is conspiring to “strip Americans of their rights,” according to several of the affidavits filed by the DOJ.

Over 100 people involved in the riot have been charged and around 400 others are being investigated, according to The WSJ.