2nd border-militia leader held

Arizona Daily Star ^

[Kokojmudd]

By Ignacio Ibarra ARIZONA DAILY STAR

A second border-militia leader was arrested on weapons charges by the FBI this week, and one arrested last week will remain in federal custody because he's considered a threat to public safety.

Ranch Rescue founder Torre John Foote, 47, also known as Jack Foote, was arrested by the FBI in Sierra Vista on Monday afternoon on a charge of illegal possession of a weapon, stemming from a 1996 misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence in Mineral County, Mont.

He is scheduled for a detention hearing in federal court this morning.

On Wednesday, a federal judge in Tucson ordered that Casey James Nethercott, leader of Arizona Guard, remain in federal custody to ensure the safety of the community.

In making her decision, Magistrate Jaqueline Marshall rejected arguments from Nethercott's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Jason M. Hannan, that federal agents, not Nethercott, instigated an Aug. 31 confrontation at Nethercott's ranch near Douglas that led to his Sept. 15 arrest.

Hannan also argued that the prosecution's use of Nethercott's extensive criminal history was improper because the cases had no relevance to the current allegations.

Nethercott's criminal history includes:

œ A conviction on weapons charges earlier this year in Texas, which is on appeal.

œ Convictions in 1996 and 1997 for assault and false imprisonment.

The FBI's case agent Bryan Witt said he'd watched on a remote Border Patrol camera as Nethercott handled and fired a weapon at the Ranch Rescue-Arizona Guard headquarters on his ranch just hours before he was arrested Sept. 15.

Nethercott was arrested at about 11 p.m. as he and a companion returned to his van in the Safeway parking lot in Douglas, said Witt, of the FBI's Sierra Vista office.

Nethercott's companion, Kalen Riddle, 22, who Witt said moved his hands toward his waist as arresting agents approached, was shot twice during the arrest. He remains in critical condition at Tucson's University Medical Center.

After the arrest, agents found two loaded handguns in the passenger compartment of Nethercott's van, one of them possibly the same .38 caliber handgun he'd been observed with earlier in the day, Witt testified.

A search of Nethercott's ranch the next day yielded 15 .308-caliber assault rifles, several handguns, several thousand rounds of ammunition, smoke grenades, flares, and M-80-type explosives similar to large, powerful firecrackers, Witt said.

Nethercott's arrest grew out of an Aug. 31 incident in which U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop Nethercott's Dodge Caravan on suspicion of smuggling. Despite Border Patrol vehicles pursuing him with lights flashing, Nethercott ignored the agents and drove for more than a mile to his property and through the gate, before exiting the vehicle to confront the pursuing agents, Witt said.

In the confrontation that followed, armed Border Patrol agents took cover behind their vehicles after Riddle unslung a rifle from over his shoulder and then, on Nethercott's order, briefly resisted the agents' demands that he put the weapon down, Witt said.

Witt said agents watching the ranch through night-vision equipment reported seeing several people on the grounds as Nethercott shouted orders into a radio or cell phone for them to hold their positions.

In the case of Ranch Rescue founder Foote, the Cochise County Sheriff's Department had investigated the weapons-possession allegation earlier this year and in March forwarded its investigative report to the Cochise County Attorney's Office, where it remains under review, said department spokeswoman Carol Capas.

FBI Phoenix spokeswoman Susan Herskovits said Foote was arrested on a federal warrant with the assistance of the Sierra Vista Police Department.

Nethercott's Arizona Guard was originally part of Foote's Ranch Rescue but split off after a rift developed.

œ Contact reporter Ignacio Ibarra at 806-7746 or at iibarra@azstarnet.com.

[dirtboy]

Ranch Rescue is a bunch of complete buffoons. Just as Terry McAuliff does wonders for the GOP as head of the DNC, so does Ranch Rescue perform PR wonders for pro-illegal immigration groups with their idiocy.

[yarddog]

I don't know much about border rescue but this points out an incredible violation of the Constitution.

I have read that in a large number of divorce cases, it is standard procedure for the wife's attorney to make a false domestic violence charge.

This is then routinely used to deny the person's right to own firearms permanently.

Have no idea the reason for this particular person's charge but it is clear to me the Federal agents have placed their priorities against American conservatives rather than illegal aliens.

[mtbopfuyn]

Two down, but how many more wackos are out there?

OTOH, if our borders were more secure, we wouldn't need the FBI wasting their time with these freaks.

[Dead Corpse]

Sounds like it. Some of these guys are the ones who give the militias a bad name. Some are just those who are fed up with the government ACTIVELY ignoring the border problem.

Now they are targeting those trying to stem the tide with BS charges that are explicitly unConstitutional for them to be enforcing in the first place.

Not good. I can't see this getting any better either.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Jeff Head]

stemming from a 1996 misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence in Mineral County, Mont.

More of the liberal and elitist madness to implement gun control by degree.

If you are accused or convicted of misdimeanor domestic abuse...ie someone does not like that you use corporal punishment, etc., you lose your right to self defense?

I am not sure of the facts of the case in Montana...but this is insane that a midemeanor conviction trumps unalienable rights...they don't trump those rights you know and if people continue to press the issue, the results are going to be very bad.

[MileHi]

If you are accused or convicted of misdimeanor domestic abuse...ie someone does not like that you use corporal punishment, etc., you lose your right to self defense?

Laughtenberg amendment. But I don't recall what legislation this was attached to. It needs to go away. There are plenty of men who plead to these charges years ago because it was no big deal and they wanted vindictive ex-wives or girlfriends to go away. Now years later they lose their rights.

[Travis McGee]

Nethercott's companion, Kalen Riddle, 22, who Witt said moved his hands toward his waist as arresting agents approached, was shot twice during the arrest. He remains in critical condition at Tucson's University Medical Center. After the arrest, agents found two loaded handguns in the passenger compartment of Nethercott's van...

Folks, I don't know any of these people, but it sure seems like if the FBI has a hard on for you, they can shoot you down like a dog and get away with it. "Moved his hand toward his waist" pretty much covers it, considering that at rest, your hands ARE by your waist! Any movement at all,even to put your hands up in response to an order, and BANG!

Millions of illegal alien criminal invaders are streaming past these FBI agents, and they don't even notice...but they find an old misdemeanor on Foote, and put long range surveillance on him, looking for a bogus arrest rationale.

If the fedgov thinks they can remove the private border watching groups by shooting them and arresting them, they are only buying a little time, and increasing the pressure for the ultimate explosion over the criminal alien invasion.

Not to mention soiling the remaining honor of the FBI by shooting patriots and ignoring an invasion.

[MileHi]

Travis, do you know what legislation the Laughtenberg ammendment was atteched to? I was hoping it was the AWB and it would die too.

Disclaimer: It doesn't affect me, but it is LOUSY law.

[spodefly]

BUMP

[Joe Hadenuf]

Have no idea the reason for this particular person's charge but it is clear to me the Federal agents have placed their priorities against American conservatives rather than illegal aliens.

Bottom line. We are being invaded by millions, as DC winks and nods, as the Feds go after the few that were forced to take matters into their own hands. The feds message is clear, "hands off illegal aliens".

[Travis McGee]

I'd kick that to Joe Brower for an answer.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Nethercott's companion, Kalen Riddle, 22, who Witt said moved his hands toward his waist as arresting agents approached, was shot twice during the arrest. He remains in critical condition at Tucson's University Medical Center. After the arrest, agents found two loaded handguns in the passenger compartment of Nethercott's van...

So it finally comes out. The Feds shoot an unarmed man.

It was painfully clear, for the past week that this was another bad shooting. What is even more disturbing, is they still refuse to come out and say that the man was completely unarmed when he was shot twice.

[Travis McGee]

It sounds like the FBI as an ironclad method to shoot down unarmed civilians. "He moved his arms near his waist," if he is responding to an order to put his hands up.

Or, "He refused an order to put his hands up," if he doesn't move at all.

Eitehr way, they get to shoot you.

[bunkerhill7]

they couldn't follow NA onto the reservation neither n could't arrest them neither if they showed weapons there.

Native American treaties' rights to bear arms are stronger than 2nd amendment rights (broader language written under British colonial rule, New York State inherited treaty rules and Treaty of 1784 US and 1984 Chatauqua Treaty to keep weapons on reservation forever, plus New York State law allowing open-breach weapons in car rear window).

[Dead Corpse]

Yeah... but the JBT cheerleaders here said it was a good shoot.

Morons...

[bunkerhill7]

sorry 1794 Chatauqua Treaty

[Squantos]

Note the way some here call these guys trash per what they have "read".......sad. Even worse that the FiBi's an BatFag-Eeeee's spend more time going after RR guys and gals while stepping aside for the criminal invaders. Worthless bunch of lemmings with badges IMO.

Stay Safe.......Y

[skeeter]

So it finally comes out. The Feds shoot an unarmed man.

An unarmed 'whacko'.

In America that makes it OK.