GA Man Among Oath Keepers Charged With Seditious Conspiracy In Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Attack

ATLANTA, GA — A Georgia man is among 11 members of the Oath Keepers charged Wednesday in federal court with seditious conspiracy for his alleged part in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots.

Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, about 30 miles northwest of Savannah, was named in a federal indictment that was unsealed Thursday that is connected to two other indictments that collectively charge 19 individuals with corruptly obstructing an official proceeding in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results.

Ulrich, who had already been arrested on related federal charges connected to the U.S. Capitol insurrection, was on one of two teams of Oath Keepers that used military maneuvers to forcibly breach the building on Jan 6, 2020, according to prosecutors, as other Oath Keepers waited outside the capital city to rapidly deploy weapons.

Oath Keepers is a loosely organized group with varied associations with militia who, prosecutors say, tend to be recruited from current and former military, law enforcement and first-responder personnel. According to court records, Oath Keepers members were among those who forced their way into the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Oath Keepers founder and leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, 56, of Grandbury, Texas, was also named in Wednesday’s seditious conspiracy indictment – the first time he has been charged – and was arrested Thursday morning in Little elm, Texas.

Others charged in the same indictment with Rhodes and Ulrich include Edward Vallejo, 63, of Phoenix, Ariz. – who was arrested Wednesday morning – and eight other previously charged defendants: Thomas Caldwell, 67, of Berryville, Virginia; Joseph Hackett, 51, of Sarasota, Florida; Kenneth Harrelson, 41, of Titusville, Florida; Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama; Kelly Meggs, 52, of Dunnellon, Florida; Roberto Minuta, 37, of Prosper, Texas; David Moerschel, 44, of Punta Gorda, Florida and Jessica Watkins, 39, of Woodstock, Ohio.

The seditious conspiracy indictment accuses Rhodes and others of conspiring to use force to oppose the peaceful transfer of power following the Nov. 3, 2020, presidential election. Using private communication and encrypted messaging in late December 2020, Rhodes and other co-defendants made plans to travel to Washington, D.C., and bring weapons on or before Jan. 6, 2020, to support an operation to prevent Congress from certifying electoral college results that would make Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States, prosecutors said.

According to the indictment, the defendants organized into teams willing and ready to force their way into the Capitol and bring firearms and ammunition into the District of Columbia (where weapons possession is illegal), recruited more people to help their cause, organized training, and procured weapons and equipment – including knives, batons, tactical vests, helmets, eye protection and radio equipment – to bring to the Capitol, breaching the Capitol and taking over the grounds, subduing Capitol police, and continuing to plot after Jan. 6, 2020.

As crowds formed and began to forcibly enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2020, the seditious conspiracy indictment said two teams of Oath Keepers, including Ulrich, marched in a “stack” formation to enter the Capitol from the east and from the west, according to court records. Another team of Oath Keepers coordinated in party by Caldwell and Vallejo waited just outside the city in a “quick reaction force” prepared to quickly bring firearms and other weapons into the fray, prosecutors said.

One of the two related indictments has charges pending against the previously named individuals as well as James Beeks, 49, of Orlando, Florida; Donovan Crowl, 51, of Cable, Ohio; William Isaacs, 22, of Kissimmee, Florida; Connie Meggs, 60, of Dunnellon, Florida; Sandra Parker, 63, of Morrow, Ohio; Bernie Parker, 71, of Morrow, Ohio, and Laura Steele, 53, of Thomasville, North Carolina. The other case charges Jonathan Walden, 57, of Birmingham, Alabama.

The charge of seditious conspiracy carries a mandatory penalty of 20 years in federal prison, according to court records.