Far-right leader arrested on charges of treason for trespassing on US capital | The world

Stewart Rhodes, 56, who founded and led the militant group, and another man, Ed Vallejo, who was allegedly involved in the plot, were arrested Thursday.

These are the most serious charges against participants in the Capitol Raid, which could carry up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Nine of them have already been prosecuted for “conspiracy to commit crimes” and acts of violence that affect the official process or imply a certain degree of integration.

The “treason” charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, goes further. According to the indictment, Rhodes “continued to use violence” to “prevent a peaceful transfer of power” with some of his colleagues.

“They arranged for transport to Washington from all over the country, received all kinds of weapons, wore combat uniforms and were ready to respond to Rhodes’ call for arms,” ​​the document highlights.

At the time of the attack, the former soldier, who had set up the Pledge Guards in 2009, was near the Capitol, but it was not certain if he had entered the building.

Besides Rhodes, another member of the law enforcement extremist group in Arizona on Thursday: Edward Vallejo, 63.

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