Not guilty pleas entered for 8 Christian militia suspects charged in plot to spark revolution

Not guilty pleas for 8 Christian militia suspects

DETROIT — Not guilty pleas were entered in Michigan Wednesday on behalf of eight members of a Christian militia that prosecutors say plotted to kill police officers and spark a violent revolt against the U.S. government.

Nine suspected members of Hutaree, self-proclaimed “Christian warriors” who trained themselves in paramilitary techniques in preparation for a battle against the Antichrist, were arrested after a series of raids across the Midwest.

All have been charged with seditious conspiracy.

Prosecutors say the group planned to make a false 911 call, kill responding police officers, then set off a bomb at the funeral to kill many more. An indictment said that after the attacks, the group planned to retreat to “rally points” protected by trip-wired explosives for a violent standoff with law enforcement personnel.

Federal officials said they began monitoring the militia last summer and they believed an attack was planned for April. Court documents said an undercover FBI agent and a cooperating witness were part of the federal probe.

Eight suspects were arraigned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, including the alleged ringleader, 44-year-old David Brian Stone. The ninth suspect appeared in court in Indiana but no plea was entered.

In Detroit, all stood mute to the charges except Joshua Matthew Stone, David Stone’s 21-year-old son, who pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald A. Scheer entered not guilty pleas on behalf of the others.

In arguing for detention, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Waterstreet told the court the suspects’ conduct was at issue.

“It’s not about a religious group,” Waterstreet said. “It’s not about the militia. It’s about a group who decided to oppose by force the U.S. by using violence and weapons.”

Waterstreet described the hierarchy of Hutaree, saying David Brian Stone led the militia and Joshua Matthew Stone was a squad leader. He said David Brian Stone Jr., the elder Stone’s 19-year-old son, was in charge of detonations and explosives.

He said Kristopher Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, Ohio led the militia in that state and that others charged in the case had responsibilities including communications and recruitment. He said Michael David Meeks, 40, and Thomas W. Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Ind. were “heavy gunners” in charge of “laying down heavy fire” in encounters with the enemy.

In Indiana, Judge Paul Cherry ordered Piatek held without bond and that he be transferred to Michigan to face weapons and conspiracy charges with the other defendants.

A federal prosecutor testified that FBI agents found 46 guns and 13,000 rounds of ammunition in Piatek’s home in Whiting, Indiana.

Defense attorney Jerry Flynn said Piatek denies he planned to participate in the alleged plot.

Hearings to determine if any of the defendants would be released on bail were being held Wednesday afternoon for leader David Stone and six others.

Meeks was expected to face a detention hearing Thursday. A lawyer for Meeks said evidence would be presented that distinguishes him from the other defendants, and that he denied involvement in any plot to overthrow the government.

Associated Press writers David Runk in Detroit and Tom Coyne in Hammond, Ind. contributed to this report.