You feeling safer, too?

First, our federal government told us of Saddam Hussein’s purported weapons of mass destruction in far away Iraq. Now we read chilling accounts of illegal weapons much closer to home. Right here in Northwest Arkansas, government agents have targeted a portly 60-year-old and a small cache of allegedly unregistered weapons as objects warranting prosecution. Hollis Wayne Fincher of Fayetteville has made headlines this month since federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, operating under the auspices of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, raided his home and found illegal firearms in his possession, according to an ATF news release.

The prosecutorial efforts against ole Wayne, who is known locally for his outspoken views on governmental interference, have been nothing less than massive as evidenced by eight months of reported federal investigation throughout the Fayetteville-Fort Smith area culminating in the issuance of 14 search warrants.

When the considerable dust from all that costly effort cleared, Fincher wound up being the only person charged with anything.

Wow. An eight-month investigation, 14 search warrants and the arrest of one aging man for weaponry that he’d openly admitted having over the years. He was even photographed holding one of the allegedly unregistered weapons, a machine gun, in a local newspaper’s feature story about him last year.

Mike Masterson continues at the Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Washington County Militia Leader Pleads Innocent

A Washington County militia leader denied gun possession charges Monday in U. S. District Court in Fort Smith.

Hollis Wayne Fincher pleaded innocent to possessing an unregistered machine gun and possessing a sawedoff shotgun.

Magistrate Beverly Stites Jones set trial for Jan. 8 in Fayetteville.

Fincher, 60, is lieutenant commander of the Militia of Washington County, a group with headquarters south of Fayetteville.

He was arrested Nov. 9 when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives raided his home on East Black Oak Road in Washington County.

Jones on Nov. 13 set bond at $ 250, 000 with the conditions that Fincher be put on electronic home monitoring, surrender any guns and have no contact with the militia until after trial.

He must live with relatives and place as bond collateral the deed to his 120-acre property.

Fincher remained in the Sebastian County jail Monday evening.

Via Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Militia Leader Still in Custody

According to the gentleman answering the Militia's phone tonight during the weekly meeting and a gentleman posting a blog comment, Wayne Fincher is still in custody.

That Spanish language article is apparently in error.

Fincher Accepts Judge's Terms?

This article, in Spanish, indicates that Hollis Wayne Fincher was released on Monday, November 13.

I see no indication in the English language press that this is the case.

Paul Davis on Hollis Wayne Fincher

To All,

I understand that the Federal Judge declared Hollis Wayne Fincher such a danger to the community, law enforcement, the ATF, and possibly the Judge herself, and a flight risk, that she imposed incredible restrictions on him, were he to be released.

These restrictions amounted to the following:

1. Over 1 million dollars in bond (the going rate for his land).


2. Forbidding him to speak to any of the MOWCA members.


3. Not allowing him to have any guns in his home, or the house he would have to stay in.


4. Not allowing him to live in his own home, since it is on top of a mountain with only one road for access.


5. Placing him under house arrest, in which he cannot go anywhere unless there is a government approved reason.


6. Restricting his travel to go only to that government approved destination and immediately returning to the house he would have to reside in. (Please, no stops in between - even for the bathroom.)

Now, I think I have named them all. Although, I may have missed one as there were so many and his daughter was somewhat upset that the ATF agent lied under oath. In any case, I am certain that if I have missed one, one of you fine gentlemen, or Miss Linda will correct me.

So then, what is it about Hollis Wayne Fincher that is such a threat to everyone in the community and in the government?

Continued at InsightAM

Bond OK’d for Militia Leader

FORT SMITH — A federal magistrate Monday agreed to release a Washington County militia leader on bond but imposed strict conditions after hearing the man might retaliate against the government.

A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent testified he’s worried militia leader Hollis Wayne Fincher won’t show up for trial if released on bond and that he might shoot at police who try to rearrest him.

“Mr. Fincher has made it clear he doesn’t recognize this court and [these ] proceedings as valid,” ATF agent Wade Vittitow said in U. S. District Court in Fort Smith. “He still has plenty of firearms in his possession; we only seized the ones that were illegal. He lives in a very rural area that’s difficult to approach, and if agents have to go back there, they’ll be unprotected.”

Fincher, 60, is lieutenant commander of the Militia of Washington County, a group with headquarters south of Fayetteville. He was arrested Wednesday in an ATF raid related to possession, manufacture and transfer of machine guns. He’s being held on a complaint claiming he was in possession of an illegal machine gun. No formal charges have been filed.

Magistrate Beverly Stites Jones wanted assurances Monday that Fincher has no plans to follow through on published talk of violence against the government.

More at: Arkansas Democrat Gazette (New link - LL)

Don Bright on Wayne Fincher

Wayne Fincher by Don Bright

The past few days – beginning on Wednesday, November 8, and continuing as I write this editorial on Saturday, November 11, 2006 – have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride for me.

It began with a series of phone calls on Wednesday evening (and into the night) alerting me to the fact that a good friend of mine - and a true man of mettle - Wayne Fincher, was violently deprived of his individual right “to be secure in their (his) person(s), house(s), papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Wayne was put to violent abuse by federal government officials and subsequently arrested.

This violent trespass by provocateurs of the Federal Government (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms or BATF) did not consist of a gentle knock on the door and presentation of a search warrant. It was an invasion that left Wayne’s home and wife in a state of sheer chaos for the former and utter fright for the latter. Not only did these agents make a mess in the act of “searching” the personal effects of the Fincher home, they treated the house like a trash dump by throwing their empty drink containers around the house.

Wayne was arrested for the non-crime of violating his Common Law and Constitutionally guaranteed (Second Amendment) right to “keep and bear arms”. For definitive proof of the legitimacy of, and Government approval of Wayne’s actions go to the following internet website: www.arkansasmilitia.com.

You will discover, by reading the documents contained on the above website that Wayne was the victim of a witch hunt and was not guilty of any crime. And yet, to this day (four days after his Wednesday mourning kidnapping) he is being held in captivity.

No information has been released from the federal troops, to my knowledge, and they will not allow any person (including his family) to ask questions regarding Wayne’s whereabouts or physical condition. He has been and is still being kept in secret retentive quarantine by the militant application of the police powers of the United States Government. And for what? For the existence of a gun or guns that he does not own which is in violation of no Constitutional law. Again I refer you to www.arkansasmilitia.com.

Continue at: InsightAM

Militia Member Can Post Bond if He Agrees to Judge's Conditions

FORT SMITH -- A Fayetteville militia member will have the chance to post bond after being arrested last week for possession of illegal guns, but only if he agrees to some strict conditions set up by a federal court judge Monday.

The conditions include giving up any weapons, posting the deed of the man's property to the court, electronic monitoring, no attending militia meetings and moving from his residence to his daughter's home in Elkins until the trial is over.

Hollis "Wayne" Fincher, 60, of 16085 E. Black Oak Road, a lieutenant commander of the Militia of Washington County, didn't accept or deny the conditions of U.S. Magistrate Beverly Stites Jones.

Fincher was arrested Wednesday by teams of special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and other federal and state agencies and local police in connection with charges of possessing illegal firearms. Officials said there were 14 search warrants executed in Fort Smith and Fayetteville. Fincher is the only person arrested so far in the ongoing investigation.

David Dunagin, Fincher's attorney in Fort Smith, said after the detention hearing he didn't know whether Fincher would agree to post the $250,000 bond with its conditions.

More at The Morning News

ATF News Release Re: Fincher Arrest

Contact: ATF Senior Special Agent Austin R. Banks

For Immediate Release
Nov. 8, 2006

ATF ARRESTS ARKANSAS MAN FOR POSSESSING ILLEGAL GUNS

FORT SMITH, Ark. – Teams of special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), assisted by other federal, state and local law enforcement officers, arrested a Fayetteville, Ark., man and executed 14 search warrants today in a law enforcement operation conducted throughout the Fort Smith-Fayetteville area.

Hollis W. Fincher was arrested at his residence, 16085 East Black Oak Road in Fayetteville, without incident after the execution of a federal search warrant there revealed illegal firearms in his possession.

The arrest and search warrants were the result of an eight-month investigation relating to the unlawful manufacture, possession and transfer of machine guns. Thirteen additional federal search warrants were executed at different locations throughout the Fort Smith-Fayetteville area. The warrants are under seal at the direction of the U.S Attorney for the Western Judicial District of Arkansas. All evidence seized during the execution of the warrants will be submitted to the U.S Attorney’s Office for the preparation of indictments in this investigation.

ATF, FBI, Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Springdale Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Arkansas State Bomb Squad and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department all participated in the investigation. The investigation was conducted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, the U.S. Department of Justice initiative that combines federal state and local resources to combat violent gun crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas will prosecute the case.

More information on ATF and its programs is at www.atf.gov.

###

Original PDF (CAUTION: Direct link to ATF web site.)

Militia Leader Held Without Bail

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - A man arrested by federal agents during a crackdown on illegal weapons is a leader of the Militia of Washington County.

Hollis Wayne Fincher, 60, was arrested Wednesday in a raid by Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents for alleged possession, manufacture and transfer of machine guns.

Fincher is a lieutenant commander of the militia group, which has a headquarters south of Fayetteville. Fincher was being held in the Sebastian County jail without bail pending a detention hearing, which is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith.

Via AP / Pine Bluff Commercial

Friends Defend Militia Leader Arrested by Feds

Friends of a Washington County Militia leader accused of possessing illegal firearms are rallying to show their support for him.

Hollis “ Wayne” Fincher, 60, of 16085 E. Black Oak Road in Fayetteville was released from the Washington County Jail on Thursday and is being held for federal authorities at an undisclosed location. He is scheduled to appear at a 1: 30 p. m. hearing Monday in U. S. District Court in Fort Smith.

Fincher was arrested Wednesday after an eight month investigation related to the unlawful manufacture, possession and transfer of fully automatic guns.

Via Northwest Arkansas Times

Second Amendment Standing

Wayne Fincher, Lt. Commander of the Militia of Washington County, Arkansas, has been an outspoken proponent of the natural right of the American people to keep and bear military arms for several years. After a long period of silence, the United States government has answered his declaration. They did so not with words on paper, but with guns, brute force, and a jail cell.

This web log is intended to serve as a central repository for information regarding the case against Commander Fincher. It will be updated as information becomes available.

Please feel free to comment at any time.

If you have pertinent information regarding the case of US vs. Fincher, please forward it to locking_lug@usa.com.

Yours in Liberty,

Locking Lug

Wayne Fincher Arrested by ATF

FAYETTEVILLE -- A Fayetteville militia member was arrested Wednesday by teams of special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other federal and state agencies and local police in connection with illegal firearms.

Fayetteville police Lt. Mike Reynolds said 14 search warrants were executed Wednesday in Fort Smith and Fayetteville and one of the warrants was for a lieutenant commander of the Militia of Washington County, Hollis "Wayne" Fincher, of 16085 East Black Oak Road.

Via Northwest Arkansas Online