The leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers is found guilty of sedition for his role in the assault on the Capitol

A federal jury in Washington found

, the founder of the far-right organization

, guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to commit sedition for his role in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol.

Kelly Meggs

, also a member of the group, was also found guilty of the same charge, a Civil War-era statute that is rarely used.

And three other members of the organization who stood trial alongside Rhodes and Meggs —

,

, and

— were found not guilty on that charge.

All five defendants were found guilty of obstruction for their attempt to prevent Joe Biden's voter certification of Donald Trump, and also of aiding and abetting for their actions on January 6.

Additionally, Watkins was found guilty of other charges, after admitting that she pushed law enforcement inside the Capitol.

Caldwell, who was also found guilty on abetting charges, was the only one of the five who awaited trial in freedom.

Clockwise from top left: Jessica Watkins, Kelly Meggs, Stewart Rhodes, Kenneth Harrelson, and Thomas Caldwell.NBC News;

Getty Images;

court documents

The case against members

of Oath Keepers has been the

most importantly as part of the Justice Department's extensive investigation into violence in Congress.

In government-submitted evidence, Stewart Rhodes and Kelly Meggs displayed particular contempt for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking of their desire to use violence against her.

Opening statements for the trial began on October 3 and the jury began deliberating on November 22.

Three of the defendants—Rhodes, Caldwell, and Watkins—defended themselves.

[Shocking Videos And Evidence Trump Knew He Lost: The Latest Revelations From The Capitol Hill Storming]

Federal prosecutors alleged that the five defendants conspired to oppose a peaceful transfer of power after Trump's electoral defeat, but did not prove there was a pre-coordinated plot to storm the Capitol.

Instead, federal prosecutors alleged that the members of the group who entered the building — Meggs, Watkins and Harrelson — did so after seeing others break in.

This man recorded the assault on Pelosi's office.

He is now on trial for six criminal charges.

Nov 17, 202200:27

During the trial, the prosecution accused them of having kept weapons, ammunition and hand grenades in a hotel near the US capital with the aim of preventing several congressmen from certifying the elections.

During the assault on the Capitol, which left five dead and more than 140 officers injured, Rhodes remained outside the building supervising the operation, while Meggs led a group of 14 people into the building, where they divided into two subgroups of seven. , one addressed to the Senate and the other to the House of Representatives.

Rhodes' defense, for its part, tried to convince the jury that the armed groups of Oath Keepers that had been stationed in hotels around Washington did not intend to prevent Biden's confirmation, but rather to "react" in case Trump I asked them to intervene.

Trump insists that he is the subject of a witch hunt, after the appointment of a prosecutor to investigate him

Nov 19, 202202:02

The Justice Department has charged some 900 people in connection with the attack on the Capitol and is asking Congress for more resources for the investigation.

Hundreds of additional cases are being prepared against other assailants.

Four other Oath Keepers co-indicted with Rhodes — Roberto Minuta, Joseph Hackett, David Moerschel and Ed Vallejo — will go to trial in early December.

The Oath Keepers are a loose organization linked to citizen militias.

Though

Accepting anyone as a member, the group focuses its recruiting efforts on ex-military personnel, police officers, and first responders.