January 30, Mississippi, Tennessee: Armed militia members from Mississippi precipitate an unexpected standoff near
Memphis, Tennessee, when they show up to halt the eviction of two Southaven residents from their home. Local officials
back away from the eviction and say they will pursue the matter in court some more.
FEBRUARY
February 6, California: Two California men are found guilty of fraud in San Jose for passing bogus checks created by the
Montana Freemen. The jury finds Robert Young guilty of conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, two counts of mail fraud,
and one count of filing a false claim with the IRS. Frank Pepper is convicted on two counts of mail fraud. Two other
defendants, Leonard Ferrier and Dawn Onalfo, had plead guilty before the trial.
February 10, Connecticut: Nena Frankle and John Barney are arrested by local police on charges of interfering with police
and criminal trespass, after they resisted attempts by authorities in Connecticut to take possession of their foreclosed
residence. Frankle and Barney are members of a group of Connecticut common law court advocates and tax protesters
which advocates such resistance.
February 10, Ohio: Peter Langan is convicted in federal court in Columbus, Ohio, of five felonies related to 1994 armed
robberies of banks in Columbus and Cincinnati. Langan is the leader of the "Midwestern Bank Bandits," who claimed to
engage in armed robbery to support their revolutionary struggle.
February 14, Missouri: The remaining seven common law court activists of the thirteen convicted earlier in Missouri receive
their sentences: six activists sentenced to two years in prison and a seventh activist to seven years. All additionally must pay
a $5,000 fine.
Ca. February 15, Washington: Charles Miller and three other men are arrested in Washington on sixteen counts of
conspiracy to defraud banks, mail fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property. Another accomplice, Kathleen
Cottam, was arrested earlier and pled guilty. The suspects had obtained bogus money orders from Montana Freeman
leader LeRoy Schweitzer in 1995 and had been using them to buy cars and motor homes in Washington. Charles
Christenson, Kurt Gilson, and Veryl Knowles were also arrested.
February 15, Ohio, Washington, Arkansas, Montana, Utah: Near Wilmington, Ohio, Chevie and Cheyne Kehoe, two brothers
from Washington, engage in two shootouts with local police during and following a routine traffic stop. A bystander is
wounded. The Kehoes, Christian Identity adherents with ties to Aryan Nations and other white supremacist groups, avoid an
intensive manhunt and vanish along with their families. Their mobile home is later found near Casper, Wyoming. Chevie
Kehoe is wanted for questioning in connection with the murders of an Arkansas gun dealer with ties to the militia movement,
and his family.
February 18, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Aryan Nations leader Mark Thomas pleads guilty to plotting seven bank robberies
and using the cash to further the cause of white supremacy in connection with the Midwestern Bank Bandits.
February 20, Georgia: Three Georgia militia members receive stiff sentences for their roles in a conspiracy to build pipe
bombs for use against the federal government. Bob Starr is given 8 years, one month; while James McCranie and Troy
Spain are sentenced to six S years in prison each.
February 20, Minnesota: Three Minnesota residents receive convictions for attempting to pass bogus checks obtained from
the Montana Freemen. Marilyn Kerkvliet and Robert Leffler are convicted of eight counts of mail fraud and passing
counterfeit checks each. Ronald Kerkvliet is convicted of a single count of mail fraud.
February 21, Montana, North Carolina: The first conviction arrives for members of the Montana Freemen, who held off
authorities for 81 days in the spring of 1996. Russell Landers and an associate, James Vincent Wells, are convicted of seven
and twelve federal fraud and conspiracy counts, respectively, ending a trial marked by combative behavior by Landers. The
two used bogus money orders to purchase vehicles to drive back to Montana.
February 21, Washington: Supporters of the Washington militia/freemen defendants on trial in Seattle file a $1.76 billion lien
against the judge, John Coughenour, and five prosecutors.
February 24, Texas: Local authorities in Texas issue an arrest warrant for Rick McLaren, leader of the secessionist
common-law group, "The Republic of Texas," after McLaren failed to appear for a preliminary hearing on a 1995 burglary
charge. However, authorities take no steps to arrest McLaren, who is barricaded in a remote West Texas settlement.
February 28, Washington: The Washington militia/freemen explosives conspiracy case ends in a mistrial. The mistrial is
declared on federal conspiracy charges against seven people, while four defendants are convicted of weapons charges.
Washington State Militia founder John Pitner is convicted of possession and transfer of machine guns. John Lloyd Kirk and