Four More Oath Keepers Members Found Guilty of Seditious Conspiracy

A jury has found four more Oath Keepers members guilty of seditious conspiracy over their roles in the Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6, 2021, a charge that has been brought down to others in the group, including its leader Stewart Rhodes.

The four members were identified as Joseph Hackett of Sarasota, Florida; Roberto Minuta of Prosper, Texas; David Moerschel of Punta Gorda, Florida; and Edward Vallejo of Phoenix. The verdict against these four Oath Keepers comes after a separate jury convicted Rhodes in the mob's attack on the Capitol building.

Oath Keepers Convicted of Seditious Conspiracy

The jury's decision is seen as another significant victory for the Justice Department, which is also conducting efforts to secure sedition convictions against the former leader of the Proud Boys and four associates. Earlier this month, the trial against Enrique Tarrio was opened in Washington and is expected to last several weeks.

The Washington jury deliberated for roughly 12 hours over three days before making a guilty verdict. Seditious conspiracy is seen as a rarely used charge and carries up to 20 years of imprisonment. As per the Associated Press, the four suspects were also convicted of two other conspiracy charges and obstruction of an official proceeding.

The judge in the latest case did not immediately set a date for the sentencing of the convicts but denied prosecutors' bid to detain the individuals while waiting for the next step, arguing that they were not to be a risk of flight. However, the four men were ordered to home detention with electronic monitoring.

The incident was one of the most severe cases brought so far amid the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot investigation. The Justice Department has already charged roughly 1,000 people with the assault, and the number continues to rise by the week.

In a statement, Attorney-General Merrick Garland said that after the jury gave its verdict, he was grateful to the prosecutors, agents, and staff who did outstanding work in the case. Rhodes and Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs were both convicted of seditious conspiracy in the previous trial that ended in November.

Capitol Hill Riot

Following Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on Monday, the four convicted men will not be allowed to have firearms inside their homes. They will have limitations on their phone communications and internet use, according to CNN.

Minuta, among the convicted, was referred to by prosecutors as one of Rhodes's "most trusted men." On the other hand, Hackett was an alleged recruiter for the Florida Oath Keep, and prosecutors said he was exceptional at hiding his real identity.

Prosecutors also alleged that Hackett and Moerschel joined a group of 12 others on the day of the Capitol Hill riot, acting as the "boots on the ground." They are believed to have forced their way into the building using "brute strength."

They also argued that Minuta, a New York tattoo artist, was followed shortly after by a separate group that aggressively clashed with Capitol Police officers inside the building at the time, said the New York Times.

Tags

Members, Guilty