10 Oath Keepers await sentencing for Jan. 6 conspiracy and obstruction charges.
Eight Oath Keepers to be Sentenced for Jan. 6 Attack on Capitol
Eight members of the Oath Keepers who have been cooperating with the FBI’s Jan. 6 investigation will be sentenced in December 2023 and January 2024 based on plea agreements for conspiracy and obstruction of Congress.
Scheduling of the sentencing hearings was delayed for as long as 15 months because the men were cooperating with the FBI and federal prosecutors as required under their plea deals.
In exchange for reduced charges, the men are required to assist law enforcement, appear before grand juries, and testify against other Oath Keepers if requested.
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The defendants will be sentenced in Washington by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who has handled all of the Oath Keepers cases.
Charges, which carry prison terms of up to 20 years, include conspiring with other Oath Keepers to attack the Capitol, entering and remaining in a restricted building, attacking law enforcement with bear spray, pushing against police barriers, and deleting evidence from cell phones or other electronic devices.
All eight defendants have been released with conditions pending sentencing. They join two other Oath Keepers found guilty at trial who are scheduled for sentencing in November.
Individual Sentencing Details:
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• Joshua James, 36, of Arab, Alabama, will be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2024, on one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. James’s March 2022 plea agreement is 87–108 months in prison.
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• Brian Ulrich, 45, of Guyton, Georgia, will be sentenced on Jan. 19, 2024, on one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Ulrich’s April 2022 plea agreement is 63–78 months in prison.
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• William Todd Wilson, 46, of Newton Grove, North Carolina, will be sentenced on Feb. 2, 2024, on one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Wilson’s May 2022 plea agreement is 63–78 months in prison.
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• Graydon Young, 57, of Englewood, Florida, will be sentenced on Dec. 8 on one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense or defraud the United States. The charges carry maximum prison terms of 20 and five years, respectively.
A preliminary estimate of prison time included in Mr. Young’s plea agreement is 63–78 months.
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• Jason Dolan, 47, of Wellington, Florida, will be sentenced on Dec. 11 on one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense or defraud the United States. The charges carry maximum prison terms of 20 and five years, respectively.
A preliminary estimate of prison time included in Mr. Dolan’s September 2021 plea agreement is 63–78 months.
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• Mark Grods, 56, of Mobile, Alabama, will be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2024, on one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense or defraud the United States. The charges carry maximum prison terms of 20 and five years, respectively.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Grods’s June 2021 plea agreement is 51–63 months in prison.
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• Caleb Berry, 22, of Tampa, Florida, will be sentenced on Dec. 15 on one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense or defraud the United States. The charges carry maximum prison terms of 20 and five years, respectively.
A preliminary estimate of prison time included in Mr. Berry’s July 2021 plea agreement is 51–63 months.
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• Jon Ryan Schaffer, 55, of Columbus, Indiana, will be sentenced on Feb. 20, 2024, on one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon. The charges carry maximum prison terms of 20 and 10 years, respectively.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Schaffer’s April 2021 plea agreement is 41–51 months in prison.
Five other Oath Keepers-related defendants have their fates yet to be fully determined in court.
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• Jeremy M. Brown, 48, of Tampa, Florida, faces a Jan. 22, 2024, trial on charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. Both charges are misdemeanors that carry a maximum one-year prison term.
Earlier this year, Mr. Brown was sentenced in federal court in Florida to 87 months in prison for possession of a short-barrel shotgun, a short-barrel rifle, and two hand grenades. He was also convicted of one count of willful retention of a document related to the national defense. The items were found when the FBI searched his home on a Jan. 6 warrant in September 2021. He was acquitted of four other charges at trial.
In a letter to The Epoch Times in December 2021, Mr. Brown said the criminal charges were retaliation for his December 2020 refusal to become an FBI informant to spy on the Oath Keepers.
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• Jonathan Walden, 58, of Birmingham, Alabama, has a bench trial scheduled for Oct. 17 before Judge Mehta. Mr. Walden is charged with obstruction of an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.
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• Donovan Ray Crowl, 53, of Woodstock, Ohio, was found guilty in a July bench trial of obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder. As part of a stipulation agreement, four other charges were dismissed.
Mr. Crowl will be sentenced on Nov. 17. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the obstruction charge and up to five years for civil disorder.
- • Thomas Caldwell was found guilty in November 2022 of obstruction of an official proceeding and tampering with documents or proceedings. Mr. Caldwell—who is not an Oath Keeper but was tried as a co-conspirator—was found not guilty on three other charges. Mr. Caldwell will be sentenced on Nov. 16.
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• Kellye SoRelle, 44, of Granbury, Texas, was declared incompetent to stand trial and in need of mental health treatment on June 16. She will report in November to a federal Bureau of Prisons mental health facility for inpatient treatment, according to an update filed with Judge Mehta in August.
Ms. SoRelle was the Oath Keepers’ general counsel until early 2022. In August 2022, she was indicted on four charges, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and obstruction of justice—tampering with documents.
Seventeen other Oath Keepers and affiliates have been tried on Jan. 6 charges over the past 32 months. Only one—James Delisco Beeks, 51, of Orlando, Florida—was acquitted of all charges.
Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III was sentenced in May to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, tampering with documents or proceedings, and obstruction of an official proceeding. He was acquitted of two other charges.
What were the preliminary estimates for prison sentences included in the plea agreements for Mr. Young, Mr. Meggs, Ms. Meggs, Ms. Steele, and Mr. Caldwell?
Congress. The charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Young’s June 2022 plea agreement is 41-51 months in prison.
• Kelly Meggs, 54, of Dunnellon, Florida, will be sentenced on Jan. 19, 2024, on one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Meggs’s June 2022 plea agreement is 63-78 months in prison.
• Connie Meggs, 59, of Dunnellon, Florida, will be sentenced on Dec. 1 on one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Ms. Meggs’s June 2022 plea agreement is 41-51 months in prison.
• Laura Steele, 52, of Thomasville, North Carolina, will be sentenced on Dec. 8 on one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Ms. Steele’s June 2022 plea agreement is 41-51 months in prison.
• Thomas Caldwell, 67, of Clarke County, Virginia, will be sentenced on Dec. 29 on one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. The charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.
A preliminary estimate included in Mr. Caldwell’s June 2022 plea agreement is 41-51 months in prison.
The sentencing hearings mark a significant step in the prosecution of individuals involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The Oath Keepers, a far-right paramilitary organization, have been the focus of extensive investigation and legal action for their alleged role in planning and executing the attack.
The cooperation of these eight members with law enforcement and prosecutors provides valuable evidence and insights into the activities and motivations of the Oath Keepers on that day. Their testimonies and cooperation may contribute to holding other individuals accountable and shedding light on the extent of the conspiracy and planning involved.
The sentencing guidelines indicate that the defendants may face substantial prison terms, reflecting the severity of the charges and their alleged involvement in the attack. The potential prison sentences serve as a reminder of the consequences individuals may face for engaging in acts that threaten the functioning of democratic institutions and the rule of law.
As the legal proceedings continue, it remains crucial to examine and address the underlying factors that contributed to the events of Jan. 6. Understanding the root causes of extremism, conspiracy ideologies, and political violence is essential for preventing future attacks on our democracy.
The sentencing of these eight Oath Keepers is a significant development in the pursuit of justice and accountability for the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol. It underscores the commitment of law enforcement and the judicial system to upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring that those responsible are held responsible for their actions.
It is anticipated that these sentencing hearings will serve as a precedent for future prosecutions and shed light on the complex dynamics of extremist groups and their involvement in acts of violence. The outcomes of these cases will reverberate beyond the courtroom, sending a message that attacks on democratic institutions will not be tolerated and that the rule of law will prevail.
As the hearings approach, the nation awaits with anticipation to see justice served and to witness the consequences faced by those who sought to undermine the democratic process through violence and insurrection.
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