Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 70
- Location
- Morrow, Ohio
- Charges
- Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Conspiracy to Prevent an Officer from Discharging Any Duties; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Acquitted in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Bennie Parker allegedly exchanged text messages with an alleged leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia named Jessica Watkins right after Christmas. “I may have to see what it takes to join your militia, ours is about gone,” he wrote, according to court documents. In the days that followed, Watkins and Parker discussed uniforms, gear and the weapons they would bring to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, the court documents say. “Pack Khaki/Tan pants. Weapons are ok now as well. Sorry for the confusion. We are packing the car and heading your way shortly,” Watkins allegedly wrote. Parker responded that he and his wife didn’t have khakis so they would wear jeans. And then he checked one more time, “So I can bring my gun?” According to court documents, surveillance video from a hotel in Arlington, Va., shows Bennie and Sandra Parker, Watkins and others named in the indictment together prior to the attack. Sandra Parker is alleged to have breached the Capitol. Her husband is thought to have facilitated communication between members of the group from outside. A few days after the insurrection, according to the court documents, Watkins told Bennie Parker that she had been tracking the FBI's "wanted list" of suspects and believed “they’re only interested in people who destroyed things. I wouldn’t worry about them coming after us.”
Case History
Parker pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Jury trial verdict on 3/21/2023 finds Parker Guilty on two counts: Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding and Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds. Found Not Guilty on the other two counts. Sentenced on 9/1/2023 to 60 months of probation, the first 6 months of probation to be served on home detention; $125 special assessment; $1,000 restitution. Parker received a full pardon on January 20, 2025
Sources
- Primary Documentation
NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR - Primary Documentation
Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR - Supporting Reporting
NPR video evidence pageNPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.