Oath Keepers Attorney Pleads Guilty in Connection to Capitol Attack

Washington D.C. - In a significant development, Kellye SoRelle, the attorney who represented the far-right group Oath Keepers, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. SoRelle, who held the position of general counsel for the antigovernment group and was a close associate of its founder, is set to be sentenced on January 17 by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta.

During the court proceedings, SoRelle, a 45-year-old resident of Granbury, Texas, admitted to two charges: obstructing justice, a felony count, and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, a misdemeanor count. If convicted, the felony charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. However, according to her recommended sentencing guidelines, she may face a maximum of 16 months behind bars.

SoRelle, who was arrested in Junction, Texas in September 2022, had her case suspended for an extended period due to concerns about her mental health. It was only in November 2023 that she began receiving treatment at a federal Bureau of Prisons facility after medical experts determined that she had regained enough mental competency to understand the nature of the charges brought against her.

The guilty plea from SoRelle comes after Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was handed an 18-year prison sentence for orchestrating a plot to keep Donald Trump in the White House following the 2020 presidential election. Following Rhodes' arrest, SoRelle publicly stated that she was acting as the president of the Oath Keepers in his absence.

Photographs taken on January 6, 2021, show SoRelle alongside Rhodes outside the Capitol. As the violent riot took place, she posted a chat message to other Oath Keepers, stating, "We are acting like the founding fathers - can't stand down. Per Stewart, and I concur."

In her guilty plea, SoRelle acknowledged her understanding of the role played by herself and others in delaying the certification proceedings that were taking place inside the Capitol that day.

Prior to the attack, SoRelle joined Rhodes in a meeting with other extremist group members, including former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio, in an underground garage in Washington, D.C. Tarrio is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for his involvement in a separate plot to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power between Trump and Joe Biden after the election.

The Oath Keepers, founded by Rhodes in 2009, consists of current and former military, police, and first responders who pledge to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During the trial of Rhodes and other Oath Keepers charged with seditious conspiracy, it was revealed that SoRelle had a romantic relationship with Rhodes.

While SoRelle pleaded guilty to obstructing justice by encouraging the destruction of electronic evidence related to the plot, she did not enter a guilty plea for the charge of conspiring with Rhodes and other Oath Keepers to obstruct Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote.

As the sentencing date approaches, all eyes will be on U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta's decision, which will play a crucial role in determining the consequences for SoRelle's involvement in the Capitol attack.