A federal grand jury has charged a member of the Oath Keepers with conspiracy and other charges related to the events on Jan. 6th 2021.
The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals often associated with militias and former military and armed service personnel.
39-year-old Michael Greene of Indianapolis was arrested in Indiana Thursday. His court appearance is scheduled for Friday in the Southern District of Indiana.
Greene, also known as Michael Simmons, was indicted on 5 charges including: conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and tampering with documents or proceedings.
According to the indictment, Greene participated in an online meeting on Nov. 9th 2020 under the moniker “Whip” and “Whiplash”. There, they planned to stop the lawful transfer of presidential power. Greene was chosen by the leader of the Oath Keepers to be an “operations leader” on Jan 6th. He then transported firearms, ammunition, and related items to the DC metro area.
On Jan 6th, Greene sent a text saying “storming the capital” along with a photograph of the mob on the west-side of the capital grounds. He was in a restricted area of the Capitol along with other co-conspirators. Green also texted an acquaintance “Congress evacuated.” Greene allegedly deleted certain media, files, and communications that showed further involvement in the activities.
The investigation is ongoing.
