The founder and leader of the Oath Keepers, one of America’s main far-right groups, was arrested Thursday for his role in the assault on Capitol Hill, the US Department of Justice said.
This is the most serious charge held to date against participants in the attack on the seat of Congress on January 6, 2021, when elected officials certified Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election.
Nine of them had already been arrested and faced prosecution for “conspiracy“with a view to obstructing an official process or violence, which involved a certain degree of coordination.
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The leader of “sedition“, punishable by 20 years in prison, goes further. According to the indictment, Stewart Rhodes”associated“with some of his co-defendants”in order to prevent the peaceful transfer of power“, especially “using violence“.
“They organized transport from across the country to Washington, equipped themselves with all kinds of weapons, dressed in combat gear, and were ready to respond to Rhodes’ calls to arms.“, according to this document.
At the time of the attack, Stewart Rhodes, a former soldier who founded the Oath Keeprs in 2009, was near the Capitol, but it is unclear whether he entered its compound.
In addition to Mr. Rhodes, the police arrested Thursday, in Arizona, another member of this radical group, Edward Vallejo, 63 years old.