Seditious Conspiracy: DOJ Charges Oath Keepers Leader, 10 Others In Latest Jan. 6 Case

The leader of the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, was charged with seditious conspiracy for his role in the Capitol riot.

Stewart Rhodes was the founder of Oath Keepers.

The Washington Post is pictured.

According to a DOJ press release, federal authorities arrested 56-year-old Rhodes in Texas on Thursday and charged him and 10 other people with seditious conspiracy and other offenses.

It is the first time that the DOJ has filed seditious conspiracy charges against defendants in the Capitol riot probe, threatening Rhodes and the 10 alleged co-conspirators with up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The indictment accuses Rhodes and the 10 other defendants of scheming to force the transfer of power when Congress gathers to sign off on President Joe Biden's election win.

The DOJ alleges that the defendants planned in advance to travel to the D.C. area with weapons, and that two separate groups of Oath Keeper affiliates went to the Capitol in "stack" formations to break into the building.

The indictment says that Rhodes entered a restricted area of the Capitol grounds, but the DOJ doesn't say he walked into the Capitol building.

Forbes reached out to Rhodes' attorney.

The Oath Keepers were founded by Rhodes, a Yale Law School graduate. The far-right group, which prosecutors describe as a nationwide militia movement, is made up of law enforcement personnel and military veterans who are dedicated to fighting back against federal tyranny. Some Oath Keepers were seen providing security to Roger Stone on the day of the Capitol attack, after they endorsed Donald Trump's false voter fraud claims. Dozens of Oath Keepers and members of other right-wing groups have been arrested by prosecutors for their alleged involvement in last year's Capitol riot. The DOJ mentioned Rhodes in court documents.

One of the largest criminal investigations in federal history has charged more than 700 people with Capitol riot-related offenses. Some defendants have already pleaded guilty to smaller offenses, like parading in the Capitol, and have been sentenced for it, but others still face more serious charges.