Supporters of NH tax evaders sentenced
CONCORD, N.H.—A New York man who was found guilty of helping convicted tax evaders Ed and Elaine Brown escape capture was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison.
Jason Gerhard of Brookhaven, N.Y., 22, was convicted of helping the Browns and brought them guns to prolong a standoff with authorities. He was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to impede federal agents, accessory after the fact and possessing or carrying weapons in connection with a crime of violence.
Gerhard began visiting the Browns' home in early 2007 to do research for his community college newspaper and spent several weeks there during the summer, according to trial testimony.
Another supporter, Robert Wolffe of Randolph, Vt., was sentenced to 30 months in prison Thursday. He had pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy and accessory charges similar to Gerhard's.
Wolffe, 50, had cooperated with prosecutors and testified against Gerhard, Daniel Riley of Cohoes, N.Y., and Cirino Gonzalez, of Alice, Texas, at a trial in April.
Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26. Riley's sentencing has been postponed, pending a psychiatric evaluation.
The Browns were convicted on federal tax charges in January 2007 and refused to turn themselves in to authorities when they were sentenced that April to five years and three months in prison.
Instead, they threatened violence if authorities approached them at their rural, fortress-like home in Plainfield, where they were holed up for months, claiming that no law authorizes the federal income tax. They hosted a variety of visitors who supported their cause, such as militiamen and other anti-government groups.
Gerhard, Wolffe, Riley and Gonzalez were arrested last September at different locations. In October, a small team of U.S. marshals posing as supporters arrested the Browns without incident on their front porch and took them to separate prisons. When agents searched their home, they found it stuffed with bombs and guns.
"I am hopeful that the sentences imposed today will serve as a reminder that the right to disagree with the government does not permit anyone to jeopardize the lives of our brave law enforcement officers," U.S. Attorney Thomas Colantuono said.
