Posted on 02/18/2006 10:31:18 PM PST by NormsRevenge
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Two brothers who had eluded a string of felony drug and weapons charges for 15 years have been captured and were found with stockpiles of drugs, weapons and gunpowder, a U.S. marshal said Saturday.
A tip earlier in the week led authorities to a rented home in rural southwestern New Mexico, where the brothers were arrested Friday on weapons, explosives and other charges from a 1991 warrant in Merriam, Kan., officials said. Geoffrey Rose, 62, and Gregory Rose, 50, were taken into custody without incident, U.S. Marshal Gorden Eden said.
The men were thought to be aligned with white supremacist and anti-government groups, authorities said.
The men were known for speaking out about their "distaste" of the federal government, but Eden said late Saturday there was "absolutely no indication that they were part of any plot or conspiracy or any action that involved domestic terrorism."
He added, "I think probably in 1991 they were pretty bad guys, but 15 years later I think the aging process may have taken a toll on them."
Military-style helmets, bullet-resistant vests and a marijuana-growing operation were found on the property that was heavily guarded by motion detectors and dogs, officials said. Eden said the two also might have tried to domesticate mountain lions.
It was unclear how long the Roses had been in the state, Eden said.
"That's one piece of the puzzle many agencies are trying to figure out: Where have they been all these years and what have they been doing?" Eden said.
The Rose brothers were arrested on a warrant filed by Kansas authorities in 1991 that charged them with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, use or carry of a firearm in connection with drug trafficking, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful storing of explosive materials.
Eden said the Roses will likely make an initial court appearance in Albuquerque on Tuesday. They were captured in Catron County, about 80 miles east of the Arizona border.
Were these two jagdorfs originally from Niagara County, NY - where McVey grew up?
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