ORLANDO, Fla. — Three more people with ties to what authorities described as a white supremacist group were in jail Tuesday on felony hate crime and conspiracy charges, bringing to 10 the number of arrests from a FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force operation.
Authorities said they arrested 27-year-old Christopher Brooks, 21-year-old Dustin Perry and 23-year-old Richard Stockdale late Monday. Like seven others arrested last week in a multi-agency investigation, all three were charged with paramilitary training, attempt to shoot into an occupied dwelling and evidence of prejudices while committing offense, a first-degree felony.
[Check out the latest political cartoons.]
It is a felony in Florida to participate in paramilitary training for use "in furtherance of, a civil disorder within the United States." The "prejudices" charge falls under Florida's hate crimes law.
Brooks and Stockdale were also charged with possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon. All three have bonds of more than $500,000.
It was not immediately known if they had attorneys.
Florida Ninth Circuit State attorney Lawson Lamar's office released a statement Tuesday that said it won't comment further on the case until a final charging decision is made.
Listed residences for the 10 people in custody are scattered around Osceola and Brevard Counties, though most of the alleged activity is believed to center on a compound maintained in St. Cloud, Fla. where Marcus Faella and his wife Patricia live.
In filings posted on the website for Florida's Division of Corporations the Faellas, along with Marcus McGowan — all among those arrested last week — are listed on articles of incorporation filings for American Front.
American Front lists a St. Cloud address as its place of business and Lynn Haven, Fla., post office box as its mailing address. It says the purpose for which the corporation is organized is "Religious and cultural preservation of the European peoples." It goes on to say the group is "organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational and scientific purposes."
[Check out U.S. News Weekly: an insider's guide to politics and policy.]
American Front has been identified by both the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League as a hate group.
The ADL lists American Front under its "extremism in America" category and identifies its former leader, David Lynch, as "an active skinhead since the mid-1980s." It says he became involved with the group while living in Florida in the early 1990s. Lynch was killed in California last year and Marcus Faella is said to have assumed his leadership role.
Messages left at the listed number for American Front were not immediately returned.
The ADL has tracked American Front in Florida for a number of years, as well as many of its members. It also has assisted police in investigations, including a 2010 incident in which Florida American Front members were involved with a synagogue vandalism spree in Virginia.
"These arrests are an excellent example of how law enforcement agencies, working together, can help protect our communities from hate-motivated violence and terrorism," ADL Florida Regional Director Andrew Rosenkranz said in a statement. "Their proactive work stopped potential violent activity before it could happen."
Reader Comments Read all comments (2)
Dave Pizer of CO 8:36PM May 11, 2013
shannon of FL 5:49PM May 10, 2012