N.H. man facing US tax charges resists, barricades self in house

CONCORD, N.H. -- A Plainfield man fighting tax evasion charges has barricaded himself in his hilltop house, saying he is prepared for an armed standoff. Meanwhile, his wife is negotiating a plea on her own charges in their tax evasion and fraud case.

Ed and Elaine Brown did not show up for their trial Friday. Elaine Brown returned Tuesday to say she is negotiating with prosecutors, but Ed Brown is holed up in their house, vowing to stay out of court and to protect his property.

"I'm in my house," he said yesterday morning by phone. "I won't leave it."

In the house Tuesday, Brown, a handgun tucked into his pants, told supporters and reporters he has weapons and has called for supporters to converge on his property to help him resist the tax charges. Three supporters blocked the driveway with their cars, listened to a police scanner, and kept an eye out for people approaching the house.

Although federal agents seized more than 30 weapons from the Brown house in May, Ed Brown said some weapons were left on the property. Brown said he expects more supporters to come to the house within the next few days.

US Marshal Stephen Monier says his office has been in regular contact with Brown and has no plans to go to the property at this point.

The Browns haven't paid federal income taxes since 1996 because they don't think the law requires them to pay.

Judge Steven McAuliffe agreed Tuesday to postpone the couple's trial for another day to allow prosecutors to negotiate Elaine Brown's plea agreement. According to her lawyer, Brown and the government have agreed on the "substance and extent" of her criminal liability.

The Browns argue that they have violated no laws by not paying income taxes for the past 12 years. They are charged with conspiring to evade taxes, conspiring to disguise large financial transactions, and disguising large transactions.

Elaine Brown, who earned most of the couple's income, is also charged with tax evasion and with failing to collect employment taxes from the staff of her Lebanon dental office. They attended the first three days of trial but did not come to court Friday.