Oath Keepers Leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes Ordered To Remain In Jail Until Trial

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A federal judge ordered on Feb. 18 that Oath Keepers leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes remain in jail until his trial on charges of seditious conspiracy begins.

The judge said that he was concerned about Rhodes' purchases of guns and military equipment and proficiency with encryption, which would make supervising him a challenge.

CBS News reported that on Wednesday, his defense lawyers argued that Rhodes was only at the Capitol to offer some security and only went inside upon hearing someone was shot and needed medical attention. However, the report adds that timeline may not check out.

"They truly believed, and this will come out at trial, that they were there doing security work for different speakers who were supposed to speak that day," said defense attorney Phillip Linder.

"If y'all are aware, as you are, when different conservative speakers go to liberal college campuses in the last years, they get attacked. Oath Keepers is one of the groups that you can call them up and say 'hey I'm going to speak at an event, I need some protection.'"

Rhodes is being held in a federal prison in Oklahoma.