Jessica Watkins
Born1982 or 1983
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)US Army, bar owner
OrganizationOath Keepers
Known forJanuary 6th Capitol attack

Jessica Marie Watkins (born 1982 or 1983) is an American militia founder and former Oath Keeper leader, Army veteran and bar owner who took part in the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

Career

Watkins served in the U.S. Army before going absent without leave as her transgender identity was revealed in 2022.[1] She worked in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2003.[2]

In 2021, she was the co-owner[3] of the Jolly Rogers Bar and Grill, a pirate-themed bar in Woodstock, Ohio.[4][2] She previously worked as a first responder in Fayetteville, North Carolina.[2]

Militia

Watkins is a leader in the Oath Keepers[5] and in 2019,[2] she founded and led a small Ohio-based militia that collaborated with the far-right group.[6] She attended the January 6 Capitol attack, with her militia,[6] wearing military armour and tactical military style clothing.[1][7] At the U.S. Capitol building, members of the militia encouraged rioters to forcibly enter the building.[6] In 2021, while facing criminal trial, she disavowed the Oath Keepers.[4]

In May 2023, Watkins was sentenced by Judge Amit Mehta to 8.5 years in prison, criticising her initial lack of remorse, but acknowledging a more recent apology.[6] Watkins was on trial with codefendants Kelly Meggs and Stewart Rhodes.[6] In 2022,[1] she was the only one of the three acquitted of seditious conspiracy but was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding[6][8] and interfering with police.[1] A cited justification for her long sentence compared to other rioters was her role in recruiting at least three other rioters.[9]

Personal life

Watkins was born in 1982 or 1983 under a different name, taking the name Jessica Marie Watkins in 2004.[2] She grew up with her mother and her four-years-younger sister.[3] Her parents disavowed her when she revealed her gender identity to them.[3] Watkins is a trans woman and spoke at her trial about her struggle with her gender identity was a factor that led her towards paranoia, fear and conspiracy theories.[6]

She has lived in Rochester, New York and in Fayetteville, North Carolina before moving to Woodstock, Ohio.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Oath Keepers defendant Jessica Watkins sentenced to 8 and a half years in prison for role in Jan. 6 attack". CBS News. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Amiri, Farnoush; Sewell, Dan (2021-02-27). "'Just shocked': A town reckons with charges in Capitol riot". WDRB. Archived from the original on 27 Feb 2021. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  3. 1 2 3 Lybrand, Holmes; Rabinowitz, Hannah (17 Nov 2022). "Jessica Watkins, Trans Jan. 6 Insurrectionist, Apologizes in Court". The Advocate. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  4. 1 2 Cohen, Marshall (2021-02-26). "Alleged Oath Keeper ringleader in Capitol siege ordered to stay in jail before trial | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  5. ↑ "Oath Keeper sentenced to eight and a half years for role in Capitol attack". The Guardian. 2023-05-26. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rabinowitz, Hannah (2023-05-26). "Jessica Watkins: Oath Keepers member and Army veteran sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for January 6 | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  7. ↑ Thomsen, Jacqueline (26 May 2023). "Oath Keeper gets 8 1/2 years in prison over US Capitol attack". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-05-26.
  8. ↑ Reilly, Ryan J.; Barnes, Daniel (26 May 2023). "Self-proclaimed 'idiot' Oath Keeper sentenced to more than 8 years in Jan. 6 case". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-05-26.
  9. ↑ "Oath Keeper who stormed Capitol gets more than 8 years in prison". PBS NewsHour. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
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