Fairbanks Militia Leader, 2 Others Plead Not-Guilty

November 28, 2011|by Todd Walker | Channel 2 News Reporter

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Fairbanks militia leader and two other members pleaded not-guilty to federal weapons charges in an Anchorage federal courtroom, Monday morning.

Militia leader Francis Schaeffer Cox, along with Coleman Barney and Lonnie Vernon were arraigned on multiple counts of possessing machine guns, illegal silencers and hand grenades.

The men had originally been charged in state court with plotting to kill Alaska State Troopers and court officials. Those charges were dropped after a judge ruled evidence had been gathered without a search warrant.

Cox is the main focus of the government indictment. He would smirk or smile during the hearing, Monday, when details of the alleged weapons conspiracy were mentioned.

Cox spoke out several times during the hearing.

While pleading “not-guilty” to one of the charges Cox said he was “completely innocent on all of the charges” and he was a “critic (of the government) but not a criminal.” He alleged FBI informants inside the militia “tried to change a critic into a criminal.”

Cox’s defense attorney maintained the militia and Cox himself had no intentions of attacking anyone with a motto of “aggress none, defend all.” Prosecutors say that was only because Cox’s militia wasn’t ready yet.

Judge Robert Bryan denied a defense motion to dismiss the case.

Cox faces a maximum of 70 years in prison and more than $2-million in fines.

Lonnie Vernon and his wife Karen are also charged in a separate case with threatening to kill Federal Court Judge Ralph Beistline, members of his family and IRS employees over a tax dispute.

All are being held without bail until their trials next year.

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