Posted on 06/19/2014 5:24:39 AM PDT by Iron Munro
TAMPA — Federal authorities sought doomsday prepper Martin Winters for two days in the woods of east Hillsborough County, attempting to arrest him on weapons charges.
On the third day, agents didn't need to look far at all.
Winters, soggy-shoed and hungry, waited with a daughter in a car outside the FBI field office on Gray Street in Tampa on Wednesday morning as his attorneys stepped up to a reception desk and arranged his surrender.
In trade, he got cheeseburgers, fries, Gatorade, dry shoes, praise from the FBI and a morning free of gunfire — all this from the agency that had spent months chronicling his antigovernment rhetoric and spying on his preparations for an imminent "last stand" with law enforcement.
"We're glad to report that Mr. Winters did the right thing," said FBI spokesman David Couvertier. "We were hoping for a peaceful resolution, and today we got that."
Winters invoked his right to remain silent and was moved to the federal courthouse in downtown Tampa for a first appearance before Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson.
The defendant's three adult daughters sobbed when he was led into the room in restraints. He wore dark camouflage pants and a brown T-shirt, his face rimmed by a Zeus-like mane of churning black and white curls.
He stood when the judge entered the room. He called Wilson "Sir."
But Wilson called Winters a danger to the community and ordered him held without bail.
Federal authorities say Winters, 55, leads a group known as the River Otter Preppers that advocates survival preparations in advance of an end-times event foretold in the Bible's Book of Revelation.
He and five others were indicted by a grand jury nearly two weeks ago. He's accused of designing and building destructive devices without a permit, among other charges. He pleaded not guilty.
Defense attorney Ellis Faught Jr., who first represented Winters 35 years ago on a hunting violation, told the judge that an undercover FBI agent who spent months building a case against Winters had witnessed only talk.
But Wilson didn't accept that.
"This is not just talk," the judge said. "There were, in fact, destructive devices found and sold."
Winters talked about booby traps and stashes of weapons he had around his house at 3032 Williams Blvd., according to an FBI affidavit. He also discussed elaborate plans to kill government agents in the event that they raided his property.
The FBI had tried to arrest Winters on Monday as he was driving near Durant High School in east Hillsborough County, but he sped away.
Prosecutor Donald Hansen told the judge that agents exercised caution because Winters' two grandchildren were with him. Eventually, he let them out and then abandoned the vehicle and ran into the brush.
On Tuesday, the FBI announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to Winters' capture, calling him "armed and dangerous."
"It could have been a catastrophe had he not turned himself in," attorney Faught said.
The surrender process began with a phone call just after 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to Faught.
Winters' 26-year-old daughter, Tracey Winters, arranged to meet the attorney at his office. Once there, she said her father wanted to surrender, Faught said. They picked him up in the general area of his home, several miles southeast of Brandon.
"He got in the car immediately, and we didn't stop anywhere," Faught said. "We went on State Road 60 all the way in. I just wanted to make sure to get to the FBI office as fast as we could without incident."
“Gifts are supposedly excluded.”
Tried to buy a .22 for my son at Walmart. The manager said I couldn’t because I wasn’t the final owner.
That’s one reason women should not be in positions of authority.
I know what you are saying, but I think the 2nd Amendment is just fine as is.
"This is not just talk," the judge said. "There were, in fact, destructive devices found and sold."
"In fact", your (so-called) Honor?
Wouldn't we want to wait for an actual trial, so the "facts" can be proven or not proven?
Seems to me the Court has a verdict already....
Well, the literal meaning of "conspiracy" is "to breathe together". Just sayin'.
Also it’s alleged he specifically said he planned to use them, and on Federal agents if the SHTF. Ever notice those books that tell you how to do this stuff always preface by saying they are for “educational” or “entertainment” purposes only? That’s to protect the authors from lawsuits or prosecution if someone actually uses them to hurt someone.
So, now the meme of “Doomsday Prepper” rolls merrily on in the minds of the stupids. And the meme is further reinforced because he is anti-gov, pro-gun, white-heterosexual-male-over-50, and Christian.
As Sport observes, the Feds didn’t get their pound of flesh with Winters; that has to stick in someone’s craw.
As Piroque tells us, the judge already pre-tried and pre-hanged him.
And for those who have forgotten:
1st Rule of Prep Club: You do not talk about Prep Club.
2nd Rule of Prep Club: You DO NOT talk about Prep Club.
3rd Rule of Prep Club: If someone says “SHTF”, do a shot.
4th Rule of Prep Club: No more than two people to a retreat; one must be a buxom blonde coed for repopulating the human race.
5th Rule of Prep Club: One BOL at a time.
6th Rule of Prep Club: No tie-dye shirts, no socks with sandals, no ponytails, no drum circles.
7th Rule of Prep Club: Prepping will go on as long as it has to.
8th Rule of Prep Club: If this is your first post to Prep Club, you HAVE to buy all other preppers a shot.
As Sport observes, the Feds didn’t get their pound of flesh with Winters; that has to stick in someone’s craw.
I can't help but think that there are orders out to take advantage of every opportunity to prod, poke and push conservatives as much as possible with the hopes of igniting some sort of violent confrontation before the November election.
Look at the recent BLM showdown at the Bundy ranch in Nevada as a recent example. The current open border and flood of illegals that Obama brought about with his Dream Act amnesty is another.
Then there is the release of the 5 terrorists from Gitmo and the administration ignoring the incarceration of Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi in a Mexican jail.
The list is just about endless.
“Seems to me the Court has a verdict already....”
Good catch.
“Alas Babylon!”
That disturbed me deeply when I was a boy.
It's safer that way.
Your other examples aren't, they are part of the regime's power structure.
Your other examples aren't, they are part of the regime's power structure.
Remember: they're making thirty bucks an hour plus SWEET bennies to harass our people and eat out their substance.
Combine that with a blank checkbook provided by the taxpeasants, and what do you think is gonna happen?
George III should have had it so easy. It's like taking candy from a STUPID baby.
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