Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 50
- Location
- Woodstock, 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; Destruction of Government Property and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Civil Disorder and Aiding and Abetting
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Dismissed in part or full
Case Summary
The Justice Department has indicted Donovan Crowl on conspiracy and other charges. According to court documents, Crowl, a U.S. Marine veteran, is a member of the Ohio State Regular Militia, a group with links to the far-right Oath Keepers militia. Federal prosecutors allege that in December 2020, Crowl attended a training camp in North Carolina. In a review of Crowl's Facebook posts, federal investigators found a message he sent on Jan. 4, 2021, that said, "Sorry Brother, been busy planning for this week. ... We are enroute to DC right now for a few days on an Oathkeepers Op." Two days later, prosecutors say Crowl and another individual also indicted on conspiracy charges -- Jessica Watkins -- were in full battle gear at the Capitol when they joined other members of the Oath Keepers and "moved in an organized and practiced fashion up the steps" of the Capitol. According to charging documents, Crowl and Watkins forcibly entered the Capitol building, pushing past at least one law enforcemnt officer, and made it into the Capitol Rotunda. In a recorded video, Crowl allegedly said, "We took on the Capitol! We overran the Capitol!" Federal prosecutors say Crowl returned to Ohio after the attack on the Capitol, but once the media idenfitied him, he traveled to Virginia to stay with another alleged rioter facing conspiracy charges -- Thomas Caldwell. According to the indictment, "Caldwell directed Crowl to conceal his travel and invited him to hide evidence of his involvement in the Capitol incursion, writing, 'No need to call me again. Will expect you even if you're running late.'" On Jan. 17, 2021, Crowl was arrested in Ohio along with Jessica Watkins. They turned themselves in, according to the Urbana Police Department.
Case History
Crowl pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty in a Stipulated Bench Trial on 7/12/2023 on two charges: Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding and Civil Disorder and Aiding and Abetting. The other charges are dismissed. Sentencing reset for 1/22/2025. On 1/21/2025, the court grants the government’s motion to dismiss the case with prejudice
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.