Thomas Caldwell biography: 13 things about US Capitol riot suspect from Berryville, Virginia

Thomas Edward Caldwell is a white man from Virginia, United States. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. He lives in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia. _(a)
2. He is married to Sharon Caldwell. _(a)
3. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and a retired lieutenant commander. _(b)
4. From 1976 to 1995, he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. _(b)
5. He left the armed forces in 2009 and served as a section chief for the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2009 to 2010, his lawyer Thomas K. Plofchan revealed in a motion filed on February 8, 2021.  _(a)(b)
6. On December 24, 2020, he responded to a Facebook post by writing, “Driving in with my wife from Berryville VA but am soending night before at Comfort Inn Arlington/Ballston on Glebe Road. Meeting up with Oathkeepers from North Carolina and Patriot group from the Shenandoah Valley.” _(a)
7. On December 30, 2021, he wrote on Facebook, “THIS IS OUT CALL TO ACTION, FREINDS! SEE YOU ON THE 6TH IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ALONG WITH 2 MILLION OTHER LIKE-MINDED PATRIOTS!” _(a)
8. On January 1, 2021, he sent a Facebook message to his Oath Keepers member Donovan Crowl recommending a room at the Comfort Inn Ballston for January 5-7, 2021. On the same day, Crowl referred to him as Commander in a Facebook message. _(a)
9. Wearing a combat helmet, ballistic goggles and a tactical vest with a handheld radio, he went to the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., USA on January 6, 2021 with eight Oath Keepers members including Crowl and Ohio State Regular Militia commanding officer Jessica Watkins. That day, Donald Trump supporters breached the building while a joint session of Congress was certifying the vote of the Electoral College and affirming Joe Biden”s victory in the 2020 presidential election. After the riot, he sent a Facebook message saying, “Us storming the castle. Please share. Sharon was right with me! I am such an instigator! She was ready for it man! Didn’t even mind the tear gas.” In another message, he wrote, “We need to do this at the local level. Lets storm the capitol in Ohio. Tell me when!” _(a)
10. From January 14-17, 2021, Watkins and Crowl stayed in his house in Berryville. _(a)
11. An FBI special agent filed a criminal complaint against him, Crowl and Watkins, which was signed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui on January 19, 2021. On the same day, he was arrested in Virginia and charged with conspiracy, destruction of government property, obstruction of an official proceeding and violent entry or disorderly conduct. He had a leadership role in the Oath Keepers, according to the agent, but Plofchan claimed that he is “not a member of the organization, nor has he ever been a member of the organization, and if he were, such membership would be protected activity under the First Amendment.” He has disabilities from his military service that would have prevented him from storming the U.S. Capitol, according to Plofchan. _(a)(b)
12. On February 12, 2021, U,S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta was making his ruling when he interrupted him and said, “I know this is out of order, your honor, but my life hangs in the balance here.” The judge asked him to remain silent and reminded him that anything he says can be used against him in the case. _(c)
13. He was 67 years old when he and nine other defendants were charged on January 8, 2022 with seditious conspiracy in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. On March 4, 2022, his attorney David Fischer said getting his cell phone from the government is key to his defense. _(d)

(This is a developing story. More details are being added.)

If you have information about someone who participated in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, call 1-800-CALL-FBI. You may also submit relevant photos and videos to the FBI.

_SOURCES:

• _{a. U.S. Department of Justice}
• _{b. The Washington Post}
• _{c. Springfield New-Sun}
• _{c. Law and Crime}