FBI executes search warrant in Hutaree probe, seeking cell phone records
FBI agents are continuing their probe into the Hutaree militia, executing a search warrant last month on T-Mobile for records associated with four cell phone numbers, federal court documents say.
Specifically, agents were looking for any communication among three Hutaree members, a member's wife and "others" from March 27 to March 30, records show.
That includes the time period nine indicted Hutaree members accused of plotting to kill cops were arrested after raids in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.
Investigators are looking for evidence of violations of federal law, including whether anyone concealed someone from arrest or interfered with an arrest, according to search warrant documents filed last week in federal court in Detroit.
The people mentioned in the search warrant are Hutaree leader David Stone, his son Joshua Stone and Thomas Piatek, all of whom were indicted. Joshua Stone's wife Shannon Stone, who hasn't been charged, also is mentioned.
FBI Special Agent Sandra Berchtold, a bureau spokeswoman in Detroit, said this morning that the investigation into Hutaree is ongoing.
“It’s by no means over,” Berchtold said.
T-Mobile’s Law Enforcement Relations Group in Parsippany, NJ, provided agents with records on Piatek on Aug. 10, including a six-page printout of the call history on his account during the four-day period.
However, the other three numbers were associated with pre-paid phones, so T-Mobile directed agents elsewhere for information. Records don't specify what names are affiliated with those three numbers.
The search warrant requested voicemails, text messages, detailed billing records, records of incoming and outgoing calls and other information.
David Stone, who has been identified in court records as the lead target in the overall investigation, was arrested during an FBI raid at a phony memorial service at an Ann Arbor warehouse on March 27.
Piatek was not arrested until early the next morning in Clarendon Hills, IL and Joshua Stone was not arrested until the night of March 29 in Hillsdale County Michigan.
The nine indicted Hutaree members are awaiting trial on charges including seditious conspiracy and attempting to use weapons of mass destruction. David Stone, Joshua Stone and Thomas Piatek are among the five still being detained.
Among the allegations is that Hutaree members discussed killing a law enforcement officer and attacking the funeral procession motorcade with homemade bombs.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and e-mail at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Chuck
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 8:26 a.m.
They had an evil plan, yes, but they were too inept to do anything about it. "The gang that couldn't think straight"
LGChelsea
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 1:09 a.m.
Tim McVeigh was a freedom-loving, gun-owning guy.
Ian
Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 11:12 p.m.
Eventually the feds will come for anyone that dissents. Before that, they will attempt to confiscate everyone's guns. This whole Hutaree ordeal is a psy-ops on the American people. To fool the American people into believing that somehow freedom loving, gun owning people are bad.
fremdfirma
Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 4:21 p.m.
Indeed, it's long past time we called these so-called protectors to heel, especially when they seem more of a threat to the community than any of the ridiculous, laughable threats they hold up to justify that tremendous budget of theirs. A protection racket by any other name is still a protection racket. As for these hut-a-whatevers, they're wackjobs, so what, on any given day you can find a hundred of those anywhere around here without even trying - and being potentially dangerous is meaningless, you or I *might* have a fatal accident tommorow, we MIGHT run over someones dog, so what, is that cause to arrest people now, for what they MIGHT do? If so, we're all going to the stone hotel! And as for supposed threats, plans and intentions, since when has talking smack been worth wasting these kind of resources on, cause you go to any corner in Detroit and you can hear worse threats shouted back and forth across the street all day long, and every bit as meaningless there as they were here. Good job, FBI, you spent how much time, money and effort, on rounding up a bunch of smack talking kooks too lazy and incompetent to ever bother even planning such a thing, much less carry it out... *golfclap* I am beginning to suspect the real threat of domestic terrorism lies in Quantico and Langley, rather than anywhere else, since our so-called protectors have done more damage with their fearmongering, hysterics, and ridiculous attempts to justify their existence and budgets, all of which seem to fall apart on close examination, and yet when it comes to an actual threat, they're not only useless, their frenzied overreaction response tends to compound the damage. So, umm, why are we paying these guys again? And that is MY answer - take the inevitable lawsuit damages out of their own budget, instead of the general fund.
Jafo04
Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 1:38 p.m.
I love my country... I fear the government!!!
Lokalisierung
Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 12:46 p.m.
Was there ever actually a time you were innocent until proven guilty or has it always been like this?
Ricebrnr
Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 11:41 a.m.
Its by no means over, Berchtold said. Very hard to not get the impression that the authorities are still fishing for evidence to hang these people with. Considering how many MONTHS they've already been in jail and the amount and quality of "evidence" released thus far. Like I've said before, when all is said and done, I think we can thank the authorites for wasting a lot of money AND for the windfall these people will surely get after their suit prevails. articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/28/nation/na-anthrax28 msnbc.msn.com/id/20498211/ justice.gov/opa/pr/2000/September/562civ.htm justice.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/August95/444.txt.html