{"id":1387745,"date":"2022-03-18T08:18:18","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T12:18:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1387745"},"modified":"2022-03-18T09:30:15","modified_gmt":"2022-03-18T13:30:15","slug":"jan-6-oath-keeper-charged-with-seditious-conspiracy-says-he-was-helping-get-law-enforcement-out-of-the-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jan-6-oath-keeper-charged-with-seditious-conspiracy-says-he-was-helping-get-law-enforcement-out-of-the-building\/","title":{"rendered":"Jan. 6 Oath Keeper Charged With Seditious Conspiracy Says He Was \u2018Helping Get Law Enforcement Out of the Building\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjan-6-oath-keeper-charged-with-seditious-conspiracy-says-he-was-helping-get-law-enforcement-out-of-the-building%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1387745&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>According to an indictment filed by the FBI, Roberto Minuta has been charged with seditious conspiracy for his presence at the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Minuta says he was there as part of \u201ca protective detail\u201d that wound up \u201chelping get law enforcement out of the building.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/highlandscurrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/minuta_complaint_affidavit_0.pdf\">In the Feb. 24, 2021, complaint<\/a>, the FBI alleges that Minuta was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, \u201cequipped with military-style attire and gear, including apparel emblazoned with a crest related to the Oath Keepers Militia.\u201d He appeared in federal court in White Plains, New York, on March 8, 2021, where he was charged with entering a restricted building or grounds and tampering with documents or proceedings, his second indictment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLater,\u201d the complaint says, \u201cMinuta and others affiliated with the Oath Keepers breached the U.S. Capitol grounds, where Minuta aggressively berated and taunted U.S. Capitol police officers responsible for protecting the Capitol and representatives inside the Capitol. Minuta then attacked the Capitol and obstructed Congressional proceedings with other attackers on January 6, 2021. Finally, on January 13, 2021, the week after he attacked the Capitol and after much media reporting on law enforcement\u2019s investigation to bring Capitol rioters to justice, Minuta deleted his Facebook account of over 13 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By the third indictment\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/press-release\/file\/1382471\/download\">filed in March 2021 and superseding the previous two indictments<\/a>\u2014the charges against Minuta evolved to conspiracy to obstruct Congress\u00a0and entering or remaining in restricted grounds. However, while the indictment provides a\u00a0lengthy and detailed outline of texts that were exchanged in a group chat between over a dozen people discussing the alleged conspiracy plot, it does not show where Minuta was ever involved in the discussions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThings have changed quite a bit since the initial complaint,\u201d Minuta told The Epoch Times, saying one would \u201chave to read the seventh superseding indictment to really see what their accusations are now. They dropped the charge for deleting my Facebook since then and also dropped the trespassing charge. The initial complaint involves those two charges. Neither of them are part of my charge anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/press-release\/file\/1462481\/download\">latest indictment<\/a>\u00a0alleges Minuta \u201cmarched in stack formation\u201d up the Capitol steps with \u201cco-conspirators\u201d wearing \u201cparamilitary clothing\u201d and was part of a \u201csecond stack\u201d that \u201cbreached the Capitol grounds, marching from the west side to the east side of the Capitol building\u201d where they \u201cforced their way past law enforcement officers.\u201d For these allegations, he is charged with seditious conspiracy. He is also charged with conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings, obstruction of an official proceeding, and aiding and abetting and conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties.<\/p>\n<p>While the FBI makes repeated references to his clothing to suggest it proves malicious intent, Minuta insists his attire was chosen for his own protection. Minuta asserts he was only there that day as part of a security detail that volunteered to protect Roger Stone, who was scheduled to speak at two events during the Jan. 6 rallies.\u00a0Despite the allegations of a conspiracy plot, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/exclusive-fbi-finds-scant-evidence-us-capitol-attack-was-coordinated-sources-2021-08-20\/\">Reuters reported<\/a> the FBI has found no evidence that the breach of the Capitol was a coordinated attack. In addition, for\u00a0the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/federal-judge-dismisses-felony-obstruction-charge-in-second-jan-6-case-in-eight-days_4342648.html\">second time in eight days<\/a>,\u00a0U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols dismissed a felony obstruction charge alleging a Jan. 6 defendant tried to prevent the certification of Electoral College votes in the 2020 presidential race.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were there as a force of good,\u201d Minuta asserted. \u201cI was with the Oath Keepers, and we\u2019ve always done positive work, disaster relief, protecting businesses aiding people that need help. We have no history of violence and no intention of violence. We are strictly there to protect the First Amendment because we can\u2019t have one side that\u2019s permitted to have free speech and the other that\u2019s not. That\u2019s not America. That\u2019s not what this country was founded on and when that\u2019s gone my children\u2019s future looks grim.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4343717\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4343717\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/03\/17\/MinutaFamilyPhoto-600x795.png\" alt=\"Minuta family Christmas photo - Gissela, Roberto.\" width=\"600\" height=\"795\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Minuta family Christmas photo. (Courtesy of Roberto Minuta)<\/figure>\n<p>Minuta, a 37-year-old who lives in Prosper, Texas, describes himself as a \u201cfather, husband and a patriot devoted to using our God-given rights.\u201d He said he has been \u201cvery concerned over the past few years\u201d about how the loss of those rights might affect his children\u2019s futures.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what got me involved in politics and rallies, the First Amendment, and things like that,\u201d Minuta said. \u201cThat led me down a path where I was providing security for speakers in Washington D.C. in November, December, and on January 6.\u201d In November 2021, Minuta was in Washington to provide security for Alex Jones and Infowars. In December 2021, he was there to provide security for Gen. Michael Flynn. On Jan. 6, 2021, he was there to protect Roger Stone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were at the Willard Hotel with Roger Stone as a protective detail,\u201d Minuta recalled. \u201cHe was supposed to speak at two events, one at the Ellipse and one at the Capitol. We had a permit for the event at the Capitol.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the indictment, Minuta drove to the Capitol in a golf cart with 33-year-old Joshua James of Arab, Alabama, \u201cin response to a call for individuals to head to the Capitol after the building was breached.\u201d The indictment says Minuta was \u201cat times swerving around law enforcement vehicles\u201d saying, \u201cPatriots are storming the Capitol \u2026 so we\u2019re en route in a grand theft auto golf cart to the Capitol building right now \u2026 it\u2019s going down guys; it\u2019s literally going down right now Patriots storming the Capitol building.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Minuta, he and James simply volunteered to help provide protection to anyone who needed help.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile waiting there in our golf carts we heard of violence against protesters,\u201d Minuta said, \u201cand we decided it wouldn\u2019t be safe for [Stone] to head over there either because it was already a concerning situation. So, we secured him at the hotel and went to our hotel. Then we took our golf carts over to the Capitol. When we got there we didn\u2019t witness any violence at all. We walked around the building and got to the stairs. That\u2019s where we had a permit to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Minuta said he and James were interacting with law enforcement and some of the people in the crowd. While speaking with someone he believed was a Capitol Police Officer\u2014dressed in plain clothes while standing with another man wearing riot gear\u2014Minuta asked what they were doing and the man said, \u201cWe\u2019re trying to get our guys out. You can have this area.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Repeating what the officer said for clarification, Minuta said, \u201cThe officer again said \u2018Yes, you can have this area. We are trying to get our guys out.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy response to him was, \u2018We\u2019re with you if you\u2019re with us,\u2019 and we proceeded to follow him through the Capitol doors and the doors were held open.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Minuta said \u201cthe building was opened, and people were coming in and out for the better part of an hour like it was a museum.\u201d He said they entered \u201cwith the intention of helping get law enforcement out of the building.\u201d He pulled out his\u00a0phone and started recording for his own safety. \u201cWe found the police and a gentleman in front of me said, \u2018Do you want to get out, come on, let\u2019s go and we\u2019ll get you out,&#8217;\u201d Minuta said, adding, \u201cthat interaction went south pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was then that Minuta asserts the law enforcement officer shoved the man in front of him and \u201ca little skirmish took place.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4342414\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/03\/16\/MinutaFromFBIReport3-1200x793.png\" width=\"1200\" height=\"793\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4342414\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/MinutaFromFBIReport3-600x396-1.png\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"396\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Screenshot from\u00a0the Feb. 24, 2021, complaint against Roberto Minuta showing details of what is repeatedly described as the \u201cmilitary attire\u201d he wore to the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021. (United States District Court of the District of Columbia Criminal Complaint 1:2-mj-00260)<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s when I realized this was not a good situation,\u201d he said. \u201cWe were there to help people. We weren\u2019t there to engage in any form of violence. The shove was uncalled for, inappropriate. We were offering assistance to these people, and I realize it was a tense situation but there was no reason for anyone, law enforcement or civilian, to put their hands on anyone when they\u2019re not doing anything. So, I turned around and exited immediately, and moments later the law enforcement in riot gear came out of the building and were led down the steps to safety by members of the Oath Keepers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Minuta said his trial keeps getting pushed back. First it was scheduled for July 2022. \u201cNow it looks like it\u2019s going to go in September, maybe even December.\u201d However, he confessed the delays weren\u2019t frustrating \u201chonestly, because I\u2019m not in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did spend a few nights in solitary confinement when I was arrested,\u201d he confessed, \u201cand I feel horrible for people who have been locked up this whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Asked what he fears most, Minuta said he \u201cfears for the future of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4342426\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/03\/16\/RobertoGisellaMinuta-1200x900.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"1200\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4342426\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/RobertoGisellaMinuta-600x450-1-rotated.jpg\" alt=\"Roberto Minuta and his wife, Giselle while speaking to The Epoch Times on March 9, 2022.\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Roberto Minuta and his wife, Gissela. (Patricia Tolson\/The Epoch Times)<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is a much greater issue than myself, and the others who are incarcerated and anyone else being prosecuted and persecuted over this,\u201d he explained. However, while he does not condone the violence that happened that day, Minuta warned that allowing the government to shut down freedom of speech and allowing them the power to hunt down, prosecute people, and imprison people with no criminal background simply for exercising their First Amendment rights \u201cdoes not bode well for the future of America.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite all allegations, no evidence has been presented to prove Minuta was directly involved in any acts of violence.<\/p>\n<p>During the interview, Roberto\u2019s wife Gissela sat quietly at his side.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m trying to support him as much as I can but really, my main focus is our children and keeping life calm for them,\u201d she confessed. She has started a <a href=\"https:\/\/givesendgo.com\/j6\">GiveSendGo account<\/a> to help cover the cost of her husband\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n<p>Gissela said their children, an 8-year-old son and\u00a0a\u00a06-year-old daughter, \u201care very aware\u201d of what is going on. For their protection, the Minuta\u2019s did not want to share their names.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4343733\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/03\/17\/RobertoandKids.png\" width=\"684\" height=\"346\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4343733 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/RobertoandKids-600x304-1.png\" alt=\"Roberto Minuta being a kid with his kids.\" width=\"600\" height=\"304\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Roberto Minuta being a kid with his kids. (Screenshot from the GiveSendGo account, with permission from Gissela Minuta)<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt has probably affected them the most because we had just moved to Texas and the FBI took [Roberto] while he was working in New York,\u201d Gissela explained, saying the FBI raided their house about an hour and a half after arresting him.<\/p>\n<p>It was a Saturday afternoon. It was a sunny day. Her mother was visiting from New Jersey. There was a loud banging on the front door. Terrified, Gissela told her children to \u201cgo hide in mommy\u2019s closet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When she opened the door, she saw a swarm of FBI agents, dressed in full gear and vests, with guns and a battering ram.<\/p>\n<p>She was instructed to come outside.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet me just go get my children,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>They insisted she come outside.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said, \u2018Please, I beg of you, can I go with you to get my kids?&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They refused, keeping Gissela separated from her children while they searched the home for what seemed, to her, like hours.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4342485\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/03\/17\/RobertoandKids.png\" width=\"684\" height=\"346\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4342485\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/GisellaMinuta-600x800-1.jpg\" alt=\"Gissela Minuta speaks with The Epoch Times about the indictment filed against her husband, Roberto Minuta for his alleged conduct on January 6, 2021.\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Gissela Minuta speaks with The Epoch Times about the indictments filed against her husband, Roberto Minuta for his alleged conduct on Jan. 6, 2021. (Patricia Tolson\/The Epoch Times)<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThey wouldn\u2019t let me leave or the children leave,\u201d Gissela recalled. \u201cThey wouldn\u2019t let me be alone with my children. They were crying hysterically. They escorted the kids out and had a woman FBI agent sit with my kids, interviewing my kids, looking through their rooms, looking through our closets, their toys. You would have thought we had done this horrific thing when we know all their father did that day was helping law enforcement. He was just trying to help. He didn\u2019t go with the intention of protesting anything that day. He was there trying to help. So that\u2019s very frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The worst part for Gissela was the terror the FBI inflicted on her children.\u00a0\u201cMy son can read. They <em>both<\/em> can read. They can see \u2018FBI.\u2019 They know who the FBI is. It was like we\u2019re these big criminals and we don\u2019t even have speeding tickets, and as much as the media tries to portray my husband to look a certain way, our kids don\u2019t see that. We don\u2019t have guns in front of our children.\u00a0We\u2019re a very patriotic family. We\u2019re very pro-law enforcement. We\u2019re Christians and we teach our children to have loving hearts no matter what skin color or profession you have. Now they look at law enforcement like they\u2019re scary. They\u2019re mean and they hurt our family. That\u2019s hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4343740\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Roberto-and-his-daughter.png\" width=\"562\" height=\"347\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4343740\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Roberto-and-his-daughter.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from GiveSendGo account showing Roberto Minuta holding his daughter.\" width=\"562\" height=\"347\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Screenshot from GiveSendGo account showing Roberto Minuta holding his daughter. (With permission from Gissela Minuta.)<\/figure>\n<p>Asked what she fears the most, Gissela\u2019s eyes immediately filled with tears.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLosing my husband over this and having him go to jail,\u201d she said, her voice breaking with emotion. \u201cThat, and our children not having their father. It\u2019s not fair. It\u2019s a lie. They\u2019re trying to make an example out of these men and my husband.\u201d She said it\u2019s a \u201cspit in the face\u201d that her own government is persecuting Americans for exercising their constitutional rights. \u201cWe\u2019ve always taught our children to be respectful of law enforcement and try to be good people. It\u2019s hurtful I\u2019m not angry. I\u2019m just hurt. As a Christian woman, I forgive them. I know everything happens for a reason. I know that God has this under control.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Epoch Times has reached out to the FBI for comment.<\/p>\n<p><em>Joseph M. Hanneman contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"author_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"one_author_block round\">\n<div class=\"bio\">Patricia Tolson, an award-winning political columnist and investigative reporter with 20 years of experience, has worked for such news outlets as Yahoo!, U.S. News, and The Tampa Free Press. With The Epoch Times, Patricia\u2019s in-depth investigative coverage of elections, education, school boards, parents\u2019 rights, and COVID-19 mandates has achieved international exposure. Send her your story ideas: <a class=\"linkified\" href=\"mailto:patricia.tolson@epochtimes.us\">patricia.tolson@epochtimes.us<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to an indictment filed by the FBI, Roberto Minuta has been charged with seditious conspiracy for his presence at the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Minuta says he<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1387745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1387745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1387745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1387745\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1387745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1387745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1387745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}