Associated Press
Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks police and federal law enforcement officers have arrested five people in the Fairbanks area for allegedly planning to kidnap and possibly kill troopers and a Fairbanks judge.
According to a statement issued by troopers, the five were charged with conspiring to commit murder, kidnapping, arson, along with weapons misconduct, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence.
Those arrested are Francis “Schaeffer” Cox, Lonnie Vernon, Karen Vernon, Coleman Barney and Michael Anderson.
U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler said Lonnie Vernon was charged with threatening to kill a federal judge. More information on federal charges will be released later today. The arrests took place Thursday and were completed by evening, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Authorities say the group is involved with the Sovereign Citizen Movement.
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