Four Oath Keepers convicted of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 attack
The trial was the second to charge members of the extremist group with seditious conspiracy in the Capitol riot.
Jan. 23, 2023, 2:38 PM EST / Updated Jan. 23, 2023, 3:25 PM EST
By Daniel Barnes, Liz Brown-Kaiser, Dareh Gregorian and Julia JesterA jury on Monday convicted four members of the Oath Keepers of seditious conspiracy in the second batch of guilty verdicts related to the extremist group's efforts to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election.
In addition to the seldom-used charge of seditious conspiracy, the four — Roberto Minuta, Joseph Hackett, David Moerschel and Edward Vallejo — were convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding and of conspiring to obstruct.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ordered the four to be placed under 24-hour house arrest with limited exceptions and limitations on internet usage until their sentencing, “notwithstanding the nature of these charges, which are undoubtedly serious.”
The jury started deliberations Thursday morning after a five-week trial.
Prosecutors said the four used a “perverted version of American history” to justify their actions on Jan. 6, 2021.
“Attacking the Capitol was a means to an end,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Manzo told jurors during closing arguments Wednesday. He said the group took advantage of the riot and seized the opportunity to fulfill their goal of preventing Congress from counting the electoral votes and confirming Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
“January 6 was just a battle. The full conspiracy was to stop the transfer of power,” Manzo said.
Prosecutors said Vallejo was staged at a Virginia hotel with a stockpile of rifles — which they have called a "Quick Reaction Force" — while Hackett, Moerschel and Minuta led groups to breach the Capitol.
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