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Nine Members of a Militia Group Charged with Seditious Conspiracy and Related Offenses
Detroit.FBI.gov - DOJ Press Release ^ | March 29, 2010 | n/a

Posted on 03/29/2010 2:33:09 PM PDT by Cindy

Note: The following text is a quote:

Nine Members of a Militia Group Charged with Seditious Conspiracy and Related Offenses

Six Michigan residents, along with two residents of Ohio and a resident of Indiana, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on charges of seditious conspiracy, attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, teaching the use of explosive materials, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade and FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew Arena announced today.

The five-count indictment, which was unsealed today, charges that between August 2008 and the present, the defendants, David Brian Stone, 45, his wife, Tina Stone, 44, his son, Joshua Matthew Stone, 21, of Clayton, Michigan, and his other son, David Brian Stone, Jr., 19, of Adrian, Michigan, Joshua Clough, 28, of Blissfield, Michigan, Michael Meeks, 40 of Manchester, Michigan, Thomas Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Indiana, Kristopher Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, Ohio, and Jacob Ward, 33, of Huron, Ohio, acting as a Lenawee County Michigan militia group called the Hutaree, conspired to oppose by force the authority of the U.S. government. According to the indictment, Hutaree members view local, state, and federal law enforcement as the “brotherhood,” their enemy, and have been preparing to engage them in armed conflict.

The indictment further alleges that the Hutaree planned to kill an unidentified member of local law enforcement and then attack the law enforcement officers who gather in Michigan for the funeral. According to the plan, the Hutaree would attack law enforcement vehicles during the funeral procession with improvised explosive devices with explosively formed projectiles, which, according to the indictment, constitute weapons of mass destruction. Subsequently, and in furtherance of this plan, David Brian Stone, the Hutaree’s leader, obtained information about such devices over the Internet and e-mailed diagrams of such devices to a person he believed capable of manufacturing the devices. He then had his son, Joshua Matthew Stone, and others gather materials necessary for the manufacturing of such devices.

According to the indictment, in June 2009, David Brian Stone and his other son, David Brian Stone, Jr., taught other Hutaree members how to make and use explosive devices intending or knowing that the information would be used to further a crime of violence. In addition, the grand jury charged all nine defendants with carrying or possessing a firearm during a crime of violence on at least one occasion.

U.S. Attorney McQuade said, “Because the Hutaree had planned a covert reconnaissance operation for April which had the potential of placing an unsuspecting member of the public at risk, the safety of the public and of the law enforcement community demanded intervention at this time."

Andrew Arena, FBI Special Agent in Charge, said, "This is an example of radical and extremist fringe groups which can be found throughout our society. The FBI takes such extremist groups seriously, especially those who would target innocent citizens and the law enforcement officers who protect the citizens of the United States. The FBI would like to thank our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who are member of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, for their assistance in this case."

As of this morning, eight of the nine defendants are in custody and seven of them will be making their initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Donald A. Scheer at 10 a.m. Joshua Stone is currently a fugitive. Any person with information as to the whereabouts of this individual should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (313) 965-2323.

The charge of seditious conspiracy carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction carries a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison, Teaching the use of explosives materials carriers a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minium penalty of at least five years in prison.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and the Michigan State Police.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: Indiana; US: Michigan; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: adrian; atf; batfe; bhodoj; blissfield; clayton; clough; conspiracy; davidbrianstone; domesticterrorism; email; fbi; huron; hutaree; indiana; internet; jacobward; jfft; joshuaclough; joshuamatthewstone; jr; kristophersickles; lenaweecounty; manchester; meeks; michaelmeeks; michigan; ohio; piatek; sandusky; sickles; stone; thomaspiatek; tinastone; ward; whiting
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To: perfect_rovian_storm

If they were guilty of planning this, and after hearing an interview with his wife it sounds more likely, then they should have the book thrown at them. I still wonder how you can apply an “in the commission of an act of violence” into a thought crime. I worry for the precedent.


61 posted on 03/29/2010 4:16:21 PM PDT by Ingtar (Congress: proof that Entropy trumps Evolution)
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To: Cindy
... and then attack the law enforcement officers who gather in Michigan for the funeral.

That is simply BS. No criminal with a functioning brain would attack a police funeral. There are hundreds and sometimes thousands of police there. That part of the story appears to be manufactured simply to illicit an emotional response from the reading or listening public. Now if they were Muslims doing a suicide attack, maybe that would fly.

62 posted on 03/29/2010 4:24:12 PM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: Brad from Tennessee

“. . but the FBI has used agent provocateurs in the past.”

Just like they are doing right now with muslime groups. . . .right. . . /sarc

;-)


63 posted on 03/29/2010 4:30:01 PM PDT by Hulka
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To: Cindy

0bama’s lesbian Janet is going to see if she can murder more people than Clinton’s. Just watch.


64 posted on 03/29/2010 4:30:04 PM PDT by Trod Upon (Obama: Making the Carter malaise look good. Misery Index in 3...2...1)
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To: Uncle Ike
-- The same way they could convict one M. Stewart of 'lying' ("I didn't do it") to the Feds about a crime that was never proved to have been committed... --

The insider trading case was a civil case, separate trial, etc. She plead guilty to that one, paid the fine, etc.

65 posted on 03/29/2010 4:43:33 PM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Cindy
Here's the indictment: Five Indictments
66 posted on 03/29/2010 4:47:43 PM PDT by Jaidyn
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To: Jaidyn

Thank you for the link Jaidyn.


67 posted on 03/29/2010 5:11:01 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: Cindy; dirtymac
I note that the Feds characterize these guys as a Christian militia"...

Is the proper term really "Christian"?

Or, is it, instead, really, "Christian Identity? There is a huge difference: some "Christian Identity groups are seriously bad dudes -- as in neo-Natzi, white supremacist, and anti-semitic... and for-real violent wackos... (Think "Elohim City"...)

68 posted on 03/29/2010 6:26:02 PM PDT by TXnMA (D'Aleo re Hansen's "GISS" temperature database: "Non Gradus Anus Rodentum!")
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To: Mr. Blond

Nope, not unless they’re nukeyaler. ;^)


69 posted on 03/29/2010 6:52:16 PM PDT by TigersEye (Duncan Hunter, Jim DeMint, Michelle Bachman, ...)
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To: Candor7
“THIS IS IMPORTANT. Did they act to carry out threats. What were the alleged threats?”

I agree, and WHAT EVIDENCE do they have? The media is awfully quick to convict these people, kind of like they were with the Duke hockey team and Richard Jewell. It's rather strange to me that yesterday the story was that these folks were threatening Muslims and today it’s all about them planning to kill cops? The whole thing just seems rather suspicious. I will add that if they were really planning to kill the police officers then they deserve to do the time.

70 posted on 03/29/2010 8:10:50 PM PDT by jim35 (Tea Party former Republican)
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To: jim35
Christian militia....plannng to kill cops?

Doesn't add up.

71 posted on 03/29/2010 8:13:38 PM PDT by Candor7 (Now's the time to ante upagainst the Obama Fascist Junta ( member NRA))
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To: Candor7

“Doesn’t add up.”

Yes, this whole thing smells funny. I’ll have to wait and see just what kind of evidence they have on these people. The media reports this like they have been already tried and convicted, even Fox news.


72 posted on 03/29/2010 8:23:53 PM PDT by jim35 (Tea Party former Republican)
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To: jim35
"Yes, this whole thing smells funny. I’ll have to wait and see just what kind of evidence they have on these people. The media reports this like they have been already tried and convicted, even Fox news."

It does seem a bit convenient for the BO Adminstration doesn't it? It's barely been a week since Congress passed the health care abomination with the Dem's decrying supposed threats and violence coming from Tea Party types ever since. Now these folks get rounded up and to put the icing on the cake the're "Christian" don'tchaknow. Seems just a bit too convenient.
73 posted on 03/29/2010 8:39:46 PM PDT by ThomasSawyer (Democratic Underground: Proof that anyone can figure out how to use a computer.)
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To: ThomasSawyer
“Seems just a bit too convenient.”

Yes, it does. It's also ironic that the left wing whackos are making such a big stink about them planning to kill cops. Wasn't Ayers also planning to kill cops as well as our servicemen? The left LOVES the cop killer Mumia, they see him as some sort of hero. Understand that I am not defending cop killers and if these guys were really planning to do this I hope they ROT IN PRISON. I just find the hyposcrisy of the left to be too much. If these people were not "right-wing Christians" they would probably be high level members of the 0bama administration.

74 posted on 03/29/2010 9:00:22 PM PDT by jim35 (Tea Party former Republican)
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To: Cindy

It’s called primeing the pump.

Andrew Arena, FBI Special Agent in Charge, said, “This is an example of radical and extremist fringe groups which can be found throughout our society.

These groups can be found throughout our society.

Rule #1. In regards to organs of internal security.
You cannot have organs of internal security with out
an INTERNAL THREAT.

Look for organs of internal security coming to a country
near you, very near.


75 posted on 03/29/2010 9:10:43 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: jim35
"...Understand that I am not defending cop killers and if these guys were really planning to do this I hope they ROT IN PRISON. I just find the hyposcrisy of the left to be too much. If these people were not "right-wing Christians" they would probably be high level members of the 0bama administration."

Agreed.
76 posted on 03/29/2010 9:50:50 PM PDT by ThomasSawyer (Democratic Underground: Proof that anyone can figure out how to use a computer.)
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To: TXnMA
I believe that the press uses the term “Christian” to any group that is doing something wrong, as in reprehensible, if any member, or a members associate, has ever read, touched, seen or uttered any of the words that may have been in the bible. Keep in mind that this same characterization does not extend to any member of a muslim (religion of peace)(may Allah be praised) terrorist group.

For example: 10 minutes after the bombs went off in Moscow, the FBI released a statement ‘that there is no evidence that the bombing was linked to terrorism”. Obuma asked for calm and not to jump to any conclusions.

77 posted on 03/30/2010 10:21:52 AM PDT by dirtymac (Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Calling all Son's of Liberty)
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To: dirtymac
"For example: 10 minutes after the bombs went off in Moscow, the FBI released a statement ‘that there is no evidence that the bombing was linked to terrorism."

Bombing is terrorism. In dealing with analysis of the Murrah Building, I learned -- first hand -- far more than I ever wanted to know about the FBI and its attitudes and behavior -- none of it good. :-(

78 posted on 03/30/2010 11:30:58 AM PDT by TXnMA (D'Aleo re Hansen's "GISS" temperature database: "Non Gradus Anus Rodentum!")
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To: TXnMA

Unfortunately, the FBI is, and has been for a long time, part of the political landscape in WA, and a lap dog to the DNC.


79 posted on 03/30/2010 1:34:31 PM PDT by dirtymac (Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Calling all Son's of Liberty)
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To: dirtymac
In the eyes of the FBI, the most horrendous of all possible crimes is "making the FBI look bad,,,"
80 posted on 03/30/2010 5:35:29 PM PDT by TXnMA (D'Aleo re Hansen's "GISS" temperature database: "Non Gradus Anus Rodentum!")
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