Warrant Issued For Militia President But Montana Sheriff Won’t Confront Greenup At Ranch

District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for Darby rancher and tax protester Calvin Greenup for refusing to pay his taxes.

But officers will not be asked to go to Greenup’s elk farm south of Missoula to arrest him. Authorities fear an armed confrontation with Greenup, who is the president of the state chapter of the North American Militia Revenue Department.

“We talked with the sheriff (in Ravalli County) and agreed that we don’t want to bring it to a confrontation,” said Larry Allen, an attorney with the state Department of Revenue. “We will not invade his property and try to arrest him.”

Instead, Greenup could be arrested if he comes into town, Allen said.

The warrant for his arrest was issued at the request of the department after he failed to show up for a hearing Tuesday to explain why he did not file an income tax return for 1992.

He couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday, but one of his three sons said the issuance of the warrant “is no surprise.”

Greenup has filed numerous documents with Sherlock’s court saying the state has no jurisdiction over him.

Sherlock disagrees.

“He seems to be filing these documents in his own court with people who think they are judges,” Sherlock said. “I read them and take note, but they’re not in conformity with state law.”

The state alleges that Greenup owes $9,495 in back taxes and fines.

Sherlock suspended an earlier arrest warrant after Greenup called the governor’s office.

Gov. Marc Racicot said Tuesday that Greenup pleaded for a chance to explain himself in court and Racicot agreed to pass that information along to the Revenue Department.

“He said things were getting tense and volatile, and that he hadn’t been afforded a hearing,” Racicot said, adding that after agreeing to relay the information he told Greenup to quit intimidating people with threats of violence.

Later, Greenup sent a letter to Sherlock saying he would not appear in court and denying he had ever agreed to do so.

Ravalli County Sheriff Jay Printz said he did not want to reveal his strategy for arresting Greenup but said he would not enter his property.

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