 [CNBC] Federal authorities on Thursday charged Stewart Rhodes, the leader and founder of the Death Eater far-right Oath Keepers militia, and 10 other people with seditious conspiracy and other crimes for their alleged roles in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
An indictment alleges that after the November 2020 presidential election, Rhodes and others conspired to oppose by force the transfer of presidential power from then-President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and whatever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
to Joe The Big Guy Biden
...46th president of the U.S. You're a lyin' dog-faced pony soldier . Of course Corn Pop is a real person....
, which included plans to breach and try to take control of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The conspiracy allegedly involved the amassing of firearms on the outskirts of Washington, D.C, and distribution to so-called quick reaction force teams to support the effort to keep Trump in office, according to the indictment, issued by a grand jury in DC federal court.
That charging document is based in part on access to encrypted messages on the Signal app that federal authorities obtained access to.
The charge of seditious conspiracy carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison.
Rhodes, a 56-year-old former U.S. Army paratrooper who live in Granbury, Texas, was arrested early Thursday afternoon. He was subpoenaed in November by the House of Representatives select committee that is investigating the riot,.
Rhodes is known to have been outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan., 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the complex and breached its buildings in an effort to disrupt an ongoing session of Congress confirming the election of Biden.
Members and affiliates of the Oath Keepers were among the crowd that forcibly rushed into the Capitol past law enforcement officers.
Stewart Rhodes’ lawyer, Jonathon Moseley, told NBC News that he was on the phone with his client talking about his scheduled appearance before the House panel when the FBI
 ...Formerly one of the world's premier criminal investigation organizations, something for a nation to be proud of. Now it's a political arm of the Deep State oligarchy that is willing to trump up charges, suppress evidence, or take out insurance policies come election time...
came to Rhodes’ house to arrest him."
Also indicted was Edward Vallejo, 63, of Phoenix, Arizona, who was arrested Thursday morning in that city, authorities said.
Neither Rhodes nor Vallejo had been previously charged in connection with the riot.
Nine others who had been previously charged in connection with the riot also were indicted Thursday, according to authorities.
They are: Thomas Caldwell, 67, of Berryville, Va; Joseph Hackett, 51, of Sarasota, Fla.; Kenneth Harrelson, 41, of Titusville, Fla.; Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Ala.; Kelly Meggs, 52, of Dunnellon, Fla.; Roberto Minuta, 37, of Prosper, Texas; David Moerschel, 44, of Punta Gorda, Fla.; Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Ga.; and Jessica Watkins, 39, of Woodstock, Ohio.
James and Minuta reportedly have acted as bodyguards for Roger Stone, the longtime GOP operative and confidant of Trump. Stone did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the indictment.
Less than a month after the riot, the Justice Department charged Caldwell, who allegedly held a leadership role within the Oath Keepers, of conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding and other charges.
A defense attorney told a judge last year that the Navy veteran Caldwell previously worked for the FBI and maintained a top-secret security clearance for years.
The Justice Department in a blurb said, "Eight other individuals affiliated with the Oath Keepers, all previously charged in the investigation, remain as defendants in two related cases."
THE 11 DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY
Elmer Stewart Rhodes, 56, from Granbury, Texas, founder of the Oath Keepers far-right group, is accused of planning the militia's attack on the US Capitol.
Rhodes did not breach the building but was said to be in a restricted area of Capitol grounds, from where he coordinated the actions of the militiamen, who was seen marching in formation, dressed in tactical gear.
Edward Vallejo, 63, from Phoenix, Arizona, is accused of coordinating quick reaction force teams during the January 6 Capitol attack.
Vallejo was described in the indictment as standing at the ready near a hotel in Washington DC with guns and vehicles.
He was quoted as writing in a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal: 'Vallejo back at the hotel and outfitted. Have two trucks available. Let me know how I can assist.'
Thomas Caldwell, 67, of Berryville, Virginia, on January 3 allegedly suggested in a text message getting a boat to ferry weapons across the Potomac River to their 'waiting arms.'
During a search of Caldwell's home, authorities said they found a 'Death List' that included the name of an elected official, and invoices for various weapons, including a gun shaped like a cellphone.
Caldwell has denied being a member of the Oath Keepers, and his lawyer filed documents alleging that he has had a top-security clearance since 1979 and previously worked for the FBI.
Joseph Hackett, 51, of Sarasota, Florida, a chiropractor, is accused of leading the local chapter of the Oath Keepers coordinating training, planning, travel, and action with Rhodes.
According to the indictment, Hackett paid for a hotel room in DC from January 5-7, 2021.
It alleges Hackett and others 'prepared themselves for battle before heading to the Capitol by equipping themselves with communication devices and donning reinforced vests, helmets, and goggles.'
Kenneth Harrelson, 41, of Titusville, Florida, a US Army veteran, was photographed inside the Capitol Rotunda with members of Oath Keepers.
He is accused of being among a group of rioters who were hunting for House Speaker Nancy during the insurrection.
One of co-conspirators allegedly texted Harrelson and asked he make 'Pelosi's head [roll] down the steps of the Capitol.'
Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, owns a cleaning company. Photos from before the riot show him 'providing security' to speakers at the Stop the Steal rally.
Kelly Meggs, 52, of Dunnellon, Florida, was arrested and charged with his wife Connie.
The Meggses are accused of conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, destruction of government property, and other crimes.
He is also accused of colluding with Proud Boys to storm the Capitol.
At the beginning of this year the Meggses sued the House select committee investigating the insurrection, saying their subpoena for their phone records was unlawful.
Roberto Minuta, 37, of Prosper, Texas, was part of the 'guard' for Roger Stone.
In response to a call for individuals to storm the Capitol after it had been breached, Minuta and Joshua James drove to the Capitol with others in a pair of golf carts.
During this time, they swerved 'around law enforcement vehicles' with Minuta allegedly asserting: 'Patriots are storming the Capitol... so we're en route in a grand theft auto golf cart to the Capitol building right now... it's going down guys; it's literally going down right now Patriots storming the Capitol building...'
David Moerschel, 44, of Punta Gorda, Florida, was seen in FBI images wheeling a long gun case in to a hotel in Arlington, Virginia.
He is seen on footage inside the Capitol next to Graydon Young, a man from Englewood who pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the FBI.
Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Georgia, had been previously charged in the investigation.
He began planning for the riot a week prior and had joined an online group to discuss arrangements.
On the day of the attack, Ulrich allegedly formed a 'stack' formation and breached the Capitol grounds with other Oath Keepers and affiliates.
Jessica Watkins, 39, a bartender from Woodstock, Ohio, said that she was in DC to help with security for speakers at the Trump rally that took place right before the Capitol storming.
She is also claiming the United States Secret Service was aware of her assisting in security efforts near the White House that day.
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