Posted on by Randy Slovacek

Oath Keeper Pleads Guilty To Jan. 6 Invasion, Turns On Group Leader

Oath Keeper pleads guilty - Brian Ullrich, 44, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding regarding his actions during Jan. 6 invasion.
Brian Ullrich (mug shot – Effingham County Jail)

Oath Keeper pleads guilty – Brian Ulrich, 44, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions before, during and after the Capitol breach.

Ulrich faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with potential financial penalties.

From the Justice Department.

In his guilty plea, Ulrich admitted that, from November 2020 through January 2021, he conspired with other Oath Keeper members and affiliates to use force to prevent, hinder and delay the execution of the laws of the United States governing the transfer of presidential power.

In the weeks leading to Jan. 6, 2021, Ulrich and others used an application called “Signal” to prepare for the actions that would take place that day. Ulrich encouraged others in a group called “Oath Keepers of Georgia” to join him in Washington.

In one chat, on Dec. 5, 2020, he messaged the group, “I seriously wonder what it would take just to get ever patriot marching around the capital armed? Just to show our government how powerless they are!’

On Dec. 11, 2020, Ulrich messaged the group chat that “Civil War” may be necessary if Joseph R. Biden became President of the United States, adding “I made my peace with God before I joined.” Another individual later messaged, “remember, it is not over until January 20th.” Ulrich responded, “And if there’s a Civil War then there’s a Civil War.”

 On Jan. 4, he traveled with other Oath Keepers to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, staying in a downtown hotel with others.

On Jan. 6, after learning the Capitol had been breached, Ulrich and others traveled to the Capitol on golf carts, driving around multiple barricades, including marked law enforcement vehicles. Ulrich was wearing a tactical vest, radio equipment, a body-worn camera, goggles, a camouflage tactical backpack, a black neck gaiter, and an Oath Keepers hat.

He and others weaved through the restricted area in a military “stack” formation with hands on shoulders and gear. Ulrich marched in a line up the stairs on the east side of the Capitol.

He entered the building at 3:22 p.m., maneuvering himself toward the entrance to the Rotunda as law enforcement officers were attempting to clear the area. After officers deployed chemical-irritant spray, Ulrich left the Capitol and gathered with other co-conspirators approximately 100 feet from the building.

In the aftermath of Jan. 6, Ulrich continued to communicate with co-conspirators on Signal, including one message urging them to “stay below the radar.”

Ulrich was among 11 Oath Keepers indicted on January 12, 2022. He and another co-defendant, Joshua James, pleaded guilty to their charges. The other nine have pled not guilty.

Read more at the Justice Department.

CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane reports that Ullrich fingered Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes as part of the conspiracy in his signed guilty agreement.