Former Marine with central Illinois ties found guilty in Jan. 6 Capitol attack
A man with central Illinois ties was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and civil disorder by a federal judge on Wednesday, following his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to the Associated Press.
Donovan Crowl, who graduated from Bushnell-Prairie City High School in 1988, was at the Jan. 6 attack in paramilitary gear, marching with a group of Ohio members of the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group. At the time of his arrest, Crowl lived in Woodstock, Ohio.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found Crowl guilty in a non-jury, stipulated bench trial but acquitted Crowl's co-defendant James Beeks.
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Crowl will be sentenced on Nov. 17.
Crowl and 11 other Oath Keepers were said by prosecutors to have marched up the east steps of the Capitol building during the riot wearing military-style combat gear. They eventually retreated after being pepper sprayed by police.
Prosecutors say Crowl was a member of the Ohio State Regular Militia, which was led by Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins, who was sentenced to over eight years in prison for her role in the Capitol attack.
Crowl sent a text message before the riots to a group of people that included Watkins that said, "law abiding citizens are fix'n to 'act out of character'... Time for talk'in is over," according to the Associated Press.
His lawyer, Carmen Hernandez, argued Crowl was exercising his First Amendment rights and had no intention of overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Donovan Crowl Oath Keeper guilty in Jan. 6 Capitol riots
