Agencies Confer On ‘Freemen’ Law Officers Discuss What To Do About Suspects Holed Up In Montana
Top-level law enforcement authorities in Montana met privately Friday to discuss ways to defuse a looming standoff with a dozen armed constitutional extremists.
Neither U.S. Attorney Sherry Matteucci nor state Attorney General Joe Mazurek would talk publicly after their closed-door meeting with county and state officials in Billings.
At least eight of the self-described “freemen” living at “Justus Township” near Jordan, Mont., are wanted on state or federal felony warrants.
One of the freemen at the sprawling self-government encampment is named in a 48-count federal indictment filed in Idaho in 1992.
LeRoy Schweitzer, 57, is accused of flying and landing an aircraft at various locations in Idaho in 1991 without a valid pilot’s license as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
FAA officials at the regional office in Seattle couldn’t immediately offer details of the case against Schweitzer.
Constitutional patriots and freemen routinely refuse to get driver’s licenses, concealed weapons permits or other licenses and permits required by law.
Reached at the freeman headquarters on Friday, Schweitzer answered the telephone: “Montana State Supreme Court.”
Schweitzer said he wouldn’t answer questions or issue a statement unless a reporter signed a contract and agreed to post a $10 million escrow bond.
“We’ll hold the money,” Schweitzer explained before abruptly hanging up.
IRS agents confiscated Schweitzer’s plane for non-payment of federal taxes.
The aircraft was seized in June 1994 on the ranch of Ralph Clark, identified as one of the leaders of the “Justus Township.”
Members of the township are suspects in this week’s armed robbery of $66,700 worth of camera gear from an ABC-TV “PrimeTime Live” crew.
The leader of the Militia of Montana is offering to intervene and retrieve the gear stolen at gunpoint.
“I’m the one who sent them (the ABC crew) down there, so one way or another, I’ll get those cameras back,” John Trochmann told a militia symposium at Rocky Mountain College in Billings.
Trochmann couldn’t be reached for further comment. He could travel to Jordan today before returning to Militia of Montana headquarters in Noxon.
The freemen say the only brand of government they recognize is their township, with its own leaders who follow God’s law and the Constitution.
The Garfield County sheriff and prosecutor say they intend to arrest the fugitives, but hope to avoid a gunbattle. Sheriff Charles Phepps says he may re-activate his 85-member citizens posse.
The sheriff and county attorney Nick Murnion attended Friday’s strategy meeting in Billings. Also in attendance was Mike Batista, the chief criminal officer for the state of Montana.
“The situation involving fugitives is of great concern to federal law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Matteucci said before the strategy meeting.
“I cannot comment on the extent of law enforcement activity - ongoing or planned - intended to bring these individuals to justice,” Matteucci said.
U.S. Marshal Bill Strizich said marshals were unaware that Schweitzer was planning to move from a cabin near Roundup, Mont., to Jordan late last month.
“If another agency knew they were moving, they didn’t tell us,” said Strizich, whose agency arrests federal fugitives.
“If we knew they were moving, we’d have been there with bells on and and arrested them.”
, DataTimes