[1] After the conviction and sentencing, a long, armed standoff with federal law enforcement authorities at their New Hampshire residence ended with the arrest of Edward and Elaine Brown on October 4, 2007.
[2][3][4] In July 2009, while serving their sentences for the tax crimes, the Browns were found guilty by a federal district court jury of additional criminal charges arising from their conduct during the standoff.
The Browns have been identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as members of the sovereign citizen movement.
[6] Elaine Brown earned most of the couple's income that was involved in the tax dispute through her dental practice.
[citation needed] In 1960, Edward Brown was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon and armed robbery in connection with an attack on a man in Somerville, Massachusetts.
The newspaper reported that Brown designated various individuals and organizations as being part of a conspiracy to deprive Americans of life and liberty.
Among the people and organizations named by Brown were then-U.S. President Bill Clinton, former President George H. W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, The Council on Foreign Relations, the United Nations, the Trilateral Commission, the American Bar Association, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
[9] Brown reportedly had stockpiled 18 months' worth of food, with weapons and ammunition, and believed that there would be a Federal government takeover of "private property, utilities, health facilities and the media."
The 1994 article reported that Brown believed the militia was setting up its own "courts… for the purpose of taking back America.
"[9] In April 2006, Edward and Elaine Brown were indicted in the United States District Court in New Hampshire for numerous federal tax violations.
[1][10][11] On January 18, 2007, Edward Brown was found guilty by a jury in a Federal District Court in Concord, New Hampshire of one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States under 18 U.S.C.
[12] The tax evasion convictions of Elaine Brown involved the failure to report income of $1,310,706 over a period of five years.
[14] Edward Brown said that he had a stock of food and supplies and that his home could run on wind and solar generators even if cut off from the main grid.
"[15] During the standoff, a number of supporters were camped outside his home and were encouraged to record any attempt to take Brown from his house.
The paper reported that with penalties and accumulated interest, the combined federal and state tax amount owed by Edward and Elaine Brown was over three million dollars.
"[8] The Concord Monitor reported that property tax bills were mailed to residents of Plainfield on June 1, 2007, with return envelopes.
[21]Edward Brown was also quoted as having made comments about law enforcement officials and the judge in his case: I wouldn't want to be this U.S. attorney.
[18]In early June 2007 Brown claimed that the law enforcement officials surrounding his properties were part of a "Zionist, Illuminati, Freemason movement," and that the federal government had no jurisdiction in New Hampshire.
"[23] The New Hampshire Union Leader also reported that "the Browns believe the IRS and the federal income tax are part of a deliberate plot perpetrated by Freemasons to control the American people and eventually the world.
"[8] In an interview on February 2, 2007, on the radio show "Constitution for the Defense," Edward Brown was quoted as saying: This is the beginning of one very huge movement.
Brown said yesterday [August 9, 2007] that if those agents kill him or his wife, Elaine, his supporters will systematically find and kill Plainfield Police Chief Gordon Gillens, Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Prozzo and others Brown says are sworn to protect him.
[8]According to the New Hampshire Union Leader: He [Ed Brown] points his finger at Freemasons, Zionist Jews and what he says is a secret society known as the Illuminati.
"[18] After the arrests, law enforcement personnel began searching the home and found weapons, ammunition, explosive devices and booby traps.
[18] Law enforcement officials found twenty "suspected pipe bombs," nine "destructive devices," bags of high explosives hanging in the trees, smoke grenades, materials for partially constructed nail bombs, two .50-caliber rifles, 18 other guns, and over 60,000 rounds of ammunition.
Marshal Monier said that even more charges against the imprisoned Edward and Elaine Brown were likely: "By their continuing actions, allegedly, to obstruct justice, to encourage others to assist them to obstruct justice, by making threats toward law enforcement and other governmental officials, they have turned this into more than a tax case.
"[46] Shortly after his imprisonment, Edward Brown claimed that he has been mistreated, tasered, gassed, subjected to sensory deprivation, and isolated from other inmates.
[47] Both Edward and Elaine Brown and some of their followers were subsequently charged, tried, and found guilty of crimes in connection with the standoff.
Danny Riley of Cohoes, New York was sentenced to 36 years in federal prison, after having been convicted of helping to supply the Browns, and of stockpiling weapons and threatening law enforcement officials.
[48] As a result of the events during the standoff, Edward and Elaine Brown were indicted on January 21, 2009, by a federal grand jury[53][54][8] in Concord, New Hampshire, and were charged with knowingly and willfully conspiring, by force, intimidation and threat, to prevent employees of the United States Marshals Service in the discharge of official duties in the arrest of the Browns, in violation of 18 U.S.C.
[18] On July 9, 2009, Edward and Elaine Brown were found guilty by the federal district court jury of all counts charged.