Hillsdale man investigated for threats against Obama was convicted in militia killing, records show
A Hillsdale man investigated in recent months for allegedly making threats against President Barack Obama was convicted in 1997 for his role in the fatal shooting of a bodyguard for militia leader Mark Koernke, records show.
John Maurice Stephenson, 63, was arrested Wednesday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of ammunition and body armor by a convicted felon.
Stephenson recently caught the attention of FBI and U.S. Secret Service agents after he made “violent threats” against the sheriff in Hillsdale County, President Obama and the U.S. government, according to affidavit supporting the complaint by FBI Special Agent Karly Wood.
![Stephenson, John[1].jpg](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/07/Stephenson, John[1]-thumb-150x176-47058.jpg)
John Maurice Stephenson
Agents interviewed Stephenson on April 23 at a McDonald's in Hillsdale about those threats and “remarks he made indicating his association with members of the Hutaree militia group,” the affidavit says.
Investigators interviewed him again June 4, three days in advance of Obama's visit to Kalamazoo, to determine whether Stephenson posed a threat to the president, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit says agents met him in the driveway of his Hickory Lane home, he invited them in and they saw boxes containing a total of 600 rounds of ammunition.
Stephenson was prohibited from having the ammunition because of his role in the 1994 killing of William Gleason, who was a bodyguard for Mark Koernke of Webster Township.
Stephenson and Paul Darland killed Gleason in Hillsdale County because they thought Gleason was spying on them for Koernke, according to a June 16, 2000, article in The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne. Stephenson and Darland were Koernke followers who had grown disillusioned with him, The Detroit Free Press reported in a Feb. 19, 1997 article.
Stephenson cut a deal with prosecutors and was sentenced in May 1998 to between three and five years in prison for accessory after the fact to a felony and a felony firearm conviction, records show. Darland, who the Free Press reported was the triggerman, remains in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
Agents searched Stephenson's home on June 18, seizing more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition and a "kevlar body-armor flak-jacket," the affidavit says.
It's unclear whether Stephenson has any affiliation with Hutaree. U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh W. Brenneman Jr. ordered Stephenson to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, records show.
Nine members of Hutaree are awaiting trial after being indicted in March on charges including seditious conspiracy and attempting to use weapons of mass destruction. Five were ordered detained pending trial.
Among the allegations is that Hutaree members planned to kill a law enforcement officer and attack the funeral procession motorcade with homemade bombs.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at (734) 623-2527 or leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Ethan Koernke
Tue, Jan 24, 2012 : 5:36 a.m.
This is a load of horse crap Paul Darling was tried an convicted for Bill Gleason's murder. Gleason wasn't a body guard of my dad, he was a former boy scout my dad tought in the 80's. Gleason remained friends with the family and was a good man. As for Stevenson he was on to a case of government fraud. John Stevenson was researching his military record after he got a strange call about his retirement account. The problem is John Stevenson never reenlisted in the military after 1962. so he found out someone had filed back in under his enlistment number and had been building up quite the nest egg. But as he found out there was no one at any Military base by his name. He started researching a few other peoples records and found the same anomaly. Then he decided to check where the money from the Retirement funds were going. The turned up in a treasury account. So we all have been paying to support someone who wasn't even there. Can we Say Fraud? John wasn't stupid enough to have only one copy of it either we sent out over 100 copies to the wind and more people are digging up more about this case.
Ethan Koernke
Tue, Jan 24, 2012 : 5:33 a.m.
This is a load of horse crap Paul Darling was tried an convicted for Bill Gleason's murder. Gleason wasn't a body guard of my dad, he was a former boy scout my dad tought in the 80's. Gleason remained friends with the family and was a good man. As for Stevenson he was on to a case of government fraud. John Stevenson was researching his military record after he got a strange call about his retirement account. The problem is John Stevenson never reenlisted in the military after 1962. so he found out someone had filed back in under his enlistment number and had been building up quite the nest egg. But as he found out there was no one at any Military base by his name. He started researching a few other peoples records and found the same anomaly. Then he decided to check where the money from the Retirement funds were going. The turned up in a treasury account. So we all have been paying to support someone who wasn't even there. Can we Say Fraud? John wasn't stupid enough to have only one copy of it either we sent out over 100 copies to the wind and more people are digging up more about this case.
Tinkerbell
Wed, Dec 8, 2010 : 9:52 p.m.
Ok if you know the hole story then you can say he should me locked up. So look up some more info on him! He never threatened the president like they say he did. He could care less about the man. I think they need to check on him and go talk and get his side of the story. The man that got killed John did no know that was going to happen he dropped them off not knowing. John is a smart man the day he meant the FBI he was talking about missing money not the president. I was there and heard the hole thing. So why don't you all go talk to him and find out what they have done to him why he has been in custody! He will be more then willing to tell you his side!
mike from saline
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 5:30 p.m.
if these latest allegations are true, and he's already been been found guilty, in the past, of a crime, that has anything to do with murder, It'll be time to put him away for good. I'm a free speech guy, but everything has limits. An attack [or threat of an attack] on the President [wheather you voted for him or not] should be considered the same as and attack on the United States.
Mr. Tibbs
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 8:32 a.m.
I have no love for the alledged president. but this is why we need to lock up or end the lives of violent offenders. the behavior does not change it is only bottled up for a while. and we all know how mad the genie gets when "it" doesn't see sunlight for a long time....
jcj
Tue, Jul 13, 2010 : 9:02 p.m.
I hit the wrong button before I finished! Convicted of killing a man in 1997? And not still in jail. Did he ever go to jail? Need more details about his sentence! I don't do drugs and don't condone it. But it is not right to put someone away for drug use longer than someone that sets out to kill someone and follows through! When someone sets out to kill someone they need to be put away for a substantial time!
RoboLogic
Tue, Jul 13, 2010 : 8:49 p.m.
This guy is on the Federal Radar...no doubt.