BULLETIN: ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Accused In ‘Two For One’ Plot To Murder Judges, State Troopers In Alaska; ‘Militia’ Had Acquired Grenades, Grenade Launcher, Machine Guns; Another Man Charged Separately In Plot To Kill Federal Judge

Francis "Schaeffer" Cox

BULLETIN: (UPDATED 7:04 P.M. EDT (MARCH 14, U.S.A.) Five residents of Alaska with ties to the so-called “sovereign” citizen and “militia” movements have been charged under state law in an alleged plot to kidnap or murder Alaska state troopers and a state judge in Fairbanks.

One of the suspects was charged separately under federal law with threatening to kill U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline and a member of Beistline’s family. Beistline was presiding over a civil tax case involving one of the state-level defendants, and was targeted “in retaliation for and on account of the performance of his official duties,” according to the indictment.

Charged federally was Lonnie G. Vernon, 55, of Salcha.

Vernon also was charged under state law. Also charged in the state case were Francis “Schaeffer” Cox, 27, of Fairbanks;  Karen Vernon, 64, of Salcha; Coleman Barney, 36, of North Pole;  and Michael O. Anderson, 35, of Fairbanks. Karen Vernon is Vernon’s wife.

Anderson was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and tampering with evidence. Charges against the other defendants include conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit arson and misconduct involving weapons.

Cox and “others” had acquired hand grenades, a grenade launcher, a .50-caliber machine gun, a .30-caliber machine gun, “dozens” of assault rifles and pistols and “thousands of rounds of ammunition,” according to the state complaint.

Cox filed “nonsensical” pleadings while awaiting trial in a March 2010 case in which he was charged with not announcing he was concealing a handgun when he approached a police officer, according to the state complaint.

In a YouTube video of a court hearing dated Dec. 14, 2010, Cox declared himself a sovereign being and said he did not recognize the authority of the court. Perhaps to amplify his disrespect for the court, he wore a hat when addressing the judge.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no,” he told the judge. “If I get an invitation [for] next week, I’m going to treat it like an invitation to a Tupperware party.”

“I won’t be here,” he declared.

In October 2010 — with his trial date approaching in February 2011 — Cox began “amassing multiple caches of assault rifles and prohibited explosive devices,” including the grenades and machine guns, according to the charges.

Just prior to his Feb. 14 trial date, Cox informed authorities he would not show up for trial. When he did not appear, a bench warrant was issued.

The FBI had infiltrated the militia group at least by Feb. 12 and “lawfully recorded” conversations that occurred as the probe moved forward, according to the charges.

Cox, according to the complaint, discussed a “241” program, which was shorthand for “two for one.”

The plan “called for his militia to respond to attempts to arrest or kill him by responding against state court or law enforcement targets with twice the force and consequences as happened to him or his family,” according to the state complaint.

Cox ventured that his arrest would constitute a “kidnapping” that, under the “241”plan,  called for two state targets to be arrested, meaning “kidnapped,”  according to the complaint.

“If he was killed, two state targets would be killed,” according to the complaint. “If his house was taken, two state target houses would be burned.”

And Cox talked about drilling a state judge “in his forehead,” according to the complaint.

A Twitter account referenced in the state charging document includes this Jan. 26 post:

“The DA made a motion to bar me from talking about the constitution in court! LOL He’ll be work’n as Chip N’ Dale dancer if he keeps this up.”

In December 2010, according to the state complaint, Cox told a state judicial officer that “we know where all the Troopers live, we have you outmanned and outgunned and could probably have  you all dead in one night.”

At a Cox-related hearing in December, Cox advised a  a state judge that “you’re now being treated as a criminal engaged in criminal activity and you’re being served in that manner.”

Also present at the hearing was person described only as “Ken.” “Ken” declared himself a militia member speaking on behalf of Cox, saying he was Cox’s representative and “counsel before God,” according to the state complaint.

The complaint also alleged that Cox or “others” acting “on his behalf — in the days leading up to the trial date — filed “multiple pleadings” that made no sense. The pleadings demanded the charges against Cox be dismissed and made “other claims,” according to the state complaint.

Prosecutors did not describe the nature of the claims. “Sovereigns” have been known to threaten judges and members of law enforcement with criminal and civil prosecution and file claims for alleged damages. In some cases, “sovereigns” have placed liens for astronomical sums against public servants.

Meanwhile, the complaint alleges that surveillance was being conducted on potential targets of the militia and that Cox was able to pinpoint on a map the residences of state troopers and judges.

One state trooper reported being photographed at a gas station, possibly by Michael Anderson, one of the defendants in the state case.

On Feb. 14, the date Cox was supposed to be in court for his trial, he met with the Vernons at their home, according to the state complaint.

When the discussion turned to what would happen if authorities arrived to arrest Cox, Lonnie Vernon allegedly said, “I’ll take all the sons of bitches I can with me. They’ll die a miserable death too.”

Later in February, Cox said that women and children could become casualties of the “241” plan, according to the complaint.

One militia member told Cox that he was not “into killing women and children.” Cox, according to the complaint, responded by saying that he “would not target a woman or child, but if their kids get killed in the process, so be it.”

Cox went on to say that, to make a point, “I’m not against sending somebody’s head in a box.”

Later, Cox declared it his duty to oppose “the tyrant judge . . . who does not follow the constitution.”

On Feb. 26, according to the complaint, Cox discussed the publication of “wanted dead or alive posters” that would include the faces of police officers, an assistant district attorney, a court clerk and a state judge.

Lonnie Vernon allegedly claimed there is going to be a “bunch of dead mother-fuckers before all this is over,” according to the complaint.

And Karen Vernon said the Vernon home would go “up in smoke” before law enforcement could take the couple’s property.

Cox is the head of the “Alaska Peacemaker’s Militia,” according to the state complaint.

After he determined the offered price for six hand grenades was reasonable, he speculated about leaving his hiding place in the home of Coleman Barney after the militia had acquired more weapons, including a handgun with a silencer, according to the complaint.

Cox talked going to Montana to assure the safety of his family, and returning to Alaska to engage in “guerilla warfare,” according to the complaint.

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18 Responses to “BULLETIN: ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Accused In ‘Two For One’ Plot To Murder Judges, State Troopers In Alaska; ‘Militia’ Had Acquired Grenades, Grenade Launcher, Machine Guns; Another Man Charged Separately In Plot To Kill Federal Judge”

  1. Holy crap!! Is it just me or are the deranged multiplying? I can understand being upset with politicians and the legal system, but this is beyond going extreme. What these guys are doing is very little short of “terrorist activity”.

    Maybe someone should point out to NY Congressman King that these guys are not Muslim and yet are still very dangerous to Americans. King, himself, should be investigated for ties, and siding with, to the IRA.

  2. P.S. Patrick, such language……

  3. There’s some better photos here:
    http://www.lineofduty.com/the-blotter/111557-urgent-5-sovereigns-arr-plot-to-kidnap-kill-ak-troopers

    It isn’t “very little short of “terrorist activity””, it is terrorist activity.

  4. Also, someone who seems to be making some sense:
    http://www.politicsplus.org/blog/?p=4278

    It’s also worth reading the story behind “Republican Bigot Caught Lying”.

  5. Quick note:

    Longtime readers will recall that we railed against the so-called “license-plate” database programs offered by Data Network Affiliates/OWOW and “Narc That Car”/Crowd Sourcing International.

    Although both of these MLM “programs” purported to be assisting the AMBER Alert program in recording license-plate numbers and the places at which the plates were spotted, it was CLEAR that such information could be used to create movement profiles on judges, prosecutors, members of law enforcement, people with sensitive jobs and just everyday, ordinary Americans.

    Movement profiles can be used to establish places at which people are vulnerable to attack. Remember when DNA said it was going to recruit 1 million people — all of whom would be writing down plate numbers?

    And remember when DNA said its aim was to record a plate number at a Walmart, and then record the same plate number at a doctor’s office — and then record it again elsewhere, all in a matter of hours on the same day?

    It was MADNESS to participate in those programs, both of which appear to have failed — although the whereabouts of the data and the final form it took are unknown. I get sick to my stomach every time I think that some members of law enforcement purportedly were members of Narc/CSI.

    The security implications of those programs were untenable. Making it even more bizarre were the assertions that the data was being mined to assist the REPO man, in addition to AMBER Alert.

    If a license-plate number can be associated with an individual person — and that’s EXACTLY what the stated aim of Narc/CSI was — then a “map” can be developed on the sightings of the license plates, thus creating a map on the movement of the person.

    People with ill intent could use that information to cause harm — and yet MLMers by the thousands registered for the “programs.”

    Had DNA and Narc/CSI successfully populated these purported databases of license-plate sightings and tied them to individuals, well, imagine the utility that would provide people who wanted to cause harm.

    A terrorist or criminal posing as a Repo Man could have acquired detailed movement maps of the “enemy” — namely the people charged with enforcing the laws and protecting the country.

    The case in Alaska shows that a militia group allegedly was conducting surveillance on PUBLIC OFFICIALS. That’s scary enough. Imagine if the militia had access to a database that showed the movements of cars owned by their perceived “enemies,” the public officials.

    Patrick

  6. Tony H: There’s some better photos here:
    http://www.lineofduty.com/the-blotter/111557-urgent-5-sovereigns-arr-plot-to-kidnap-kill-ak-troopersIt isn’t “very little short of “terrorist activity””, it is terrorist activity.

    CORRECT

  7. Tony,

    The full name of one of the accused in Alaska is Michael Orion Anderson. He is from Fairbanks.

    There is a reference to a Michael Orion Anderson on the David Icke forum — in a 9/11 conspiracy thread:

    http://forum.davidicke.com/showthread.php?t=146137&page=20

    He’s engaged in “mining engineering” in Fairbanks, according to the Icke forum.

    Patrick

  8. Poor Tony, blinded by your liberal conspiracy theories.
    It’s amazing how calm and peaceful the protesters are in Wisconsin, isn’t it? No violence like at the Tea Party rallies or at the DC march where half a million showed up. I forgot, there was no violence. Why is it the looney left has become so violent? Something slipping away, Tony? Yeah, it’s all ‘right wingers’ causing the problems. Typical knee jerk reaction form a leftist. How’s that socialist movement coming along? Happy with Obama these days are you? ha ha

  9. Ace, terrorists are terrorists whether they are from the left or the right; muslim, christian or hindu; black or white. It is their actions that labbel them terrorists, not their political or religious persuasions. In the instance reported above, the characters concerned happen to come from the extreme right. When they come from other factions, he says so.

    I think you need to get over yourself. The report above is about the people who are accused of murder threats to government employees not the posters politics.

  10. I was reading some of the articles on the http://www.politicsplus.org site – quite a few “liberal conspiracy theories” there, including the one about gay Republicans voting for anti-gay policies. Politicians being hypocrites who would have thought?

    Ace Baker: Happy with Obama these days are you?

    Actually I was very sad to see “The Shrub” go. So much material for satire, gone over night. Very sad indeed. For those who want to re-live the good times, think back to the 2004 US election:
    http://www.seesaw.com/TV/Comedy/p-19696-Episode-1-American-Election-Special
    Skip to the 9:55 & see George W Bush get an vote pledge from a Westminster City dustman. I bet Obama could not do that.

    Ace Baker: How’s that socialist movement coming along?

    Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. WORKERS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE! Or if it’s raining, we’ll meet in the church hall instead.

  11. I was privileged to be a law partner of Judge Beistline. Ralph and Peggy Beistline are two of the best people in this world. Ralph was a life time Alaskan. He graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. His father, Earl, was the Dean of the School of Mines. His mother was a successful business woman. His brother Bill is a successful real estate investor and contractor. The notion that anyone would hurt these people is stunning. What is this world coming to?

  12. That’s mentioned on page 2 here:
    Straw man: ‘Sovereign citizen’ movement grows across U.S.
    http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/straw-man-sovereign-citizen-movement-grows-across-us

  13. As I have said before, the deluded are multiplying!!!!

  14. KL: Judge Beistline.

    Hello KL,

    Thanks for sharing your thoughtful words about Judge Beistline. It can’t be easy to be a judge these days — not that it was ever easy.

    Patrick

  15. WREG Investigates: Sovereigns In The Mid-South
    http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-sovereignupdate-story,0,524512.story

    Many people like Lanier learn about the sovereign movement behind bars.

    “I’ve spent some time in and out of prison, and a lot of information comes through the prison system, especially from federal inmates that get a chance to do a lot of reading,”

  16. The “Stand by Schaeffer” blog is online:

    http://standbyschaeffer.com/

    Mr.Cox is innocent until proved otherwise, the constitution of the “De Facto Corporation” known to Dunn and Bradstreet as the UNITED STATES of AMERICA says so. But then again, so do “We The People.” I’ve read the indictment, it’s amazing how many time the phrase “lawfully recorded by the FBI” appears. Mr.Cox might have more of his words on tape than Richard Nixon. Unless Mr.Cox’s attorney (if he’s smart enough to hire one) can find legal cause for those tapes not to be submitted into evidence, Mr.Cox wont be a free man on any land anytime soon.

    In my wayward misspent youth (which is to be clearly delineated from my wayward misspent adulthood) I was a registered Libertarian. In many ways that party’s platform still reflects my political views better than the others, which is only part of the reason I’m disapointed to post the next link. Michael Badnarik was the 2004 Libertarian presidential nominee. He’s took time out of his “sell the people what they want to hear” tour to release the following statement about Schaeffer Cox:

    “..,.According to an article at NewsMiner.com, “Cox has used his case to challenge the authority of the Alaska Court System”. Ah-haaa! Now we know why Schaeffer and his friends were arrested. They are willing to challenge the government’s authority. The government obviously feels that they are always right simply because they are the government. That is precisely the argument that Hitler’s storm troopers used in the 1940s..,.”

    http://constitutionpreservation.org/articles/march-5-2011/schaeffer-cox-arrested-alaska

    Mr.Badnarik drives a heavy wooden steak through the heart of anyone who’d like to think the Libertarian party is any different than the reps or the dems, he panders to his audience just like any of the other politicians do, only he panders to a different audience.

  17. This is only one side of the story. I heard the other side of the story, about the trumped up charges of the government operatives trying to make the public think he is a bad person for trying to defend his family. They tried to kidnap his 2 year old son, lots of stuf that isn’t told here.