Informant in militia case got $31K, agent testifies

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ADDS INFORMATION THAT ONE OF THE PEOPLE SHOWN IS NOT GOING ON TRIAL --This combo of eight photos provided by the U.S. Marshals Service on Monday March 29, 2010 shows from top left, David Brian Stone Sr., 44, of Clayton, Mich,; David Brian Stone Jr. of Adrian, Mich,; Jacob Ward, 33, of Huron, Ohio; Tina Mae Stone and bottom row from left, Michael David Meeks, 40, of Manchester, Mich,; Kristopher T. Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, Ohio; Joshua John Clough, 28, of Blissfield, Mich.; and Thomas William Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Ind., suspects tied to Hutaree, a Christian militia. Jury selection is getting under way in Detroit federal court Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, nearly two years after the dramatic arrest of people who authorities say belonged to a southern Michigan militia with a goal of rebelling against the government. The trial is expected to last weeks. It involves seven of the nine people charged with belonging to a group called Hutaree. The government says they conspired to try to kill a police officer and plotted further strikes. No one was ever attacked, and the defendants say they're being prosecuted for saying stupid things. Joshua Clough, bottom row second from right, is the only defendant to make a deal with prosecutors and could be called as a witness to testify against the Hutaree. (AP Photo/U.S. Marshall)

Updated: March 16, 2012 8:16AM

DETROIT (AP) — An undercover informant was paid about $31,000 in cash for his critical role in an investigation that led to charges against members of a Midwest militia accused of plotting rebellion against the U.S., an FBI agent testified Tuesday.

Agent Leslie Larsen was the first witness at the weeks-long trial of seven members of a southern Michigan militia called Hutaree. Thomas Piatek of Hammond is among those charged in the case.

Larsen answered a series of friendly questions from a federal prosecutor, mostly describing the timeline of the 2008-10 investigation and certain milestones in the case.

Larsen said informant Dan Murray secretly recorded conversations with the militia while he trained or attended meetings with members, especially leader David Stone. Murray received $25,000 for his time — 300 to 400 hours — and $5,600 for expenses.

Larsen said she didn’t know if he reported the money to the Internal Revenue Service or paid taxes. Murray will be a key witness later in the trial.

Militia members from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio are accused of conspiring to ambush and kill a police officer, then attack the funeral procession with explosives and trigger a broader revolt against the U.S. government. They deny the charges and claim authorities overreached.

“A new president comes into office. The agencies that are sworn to investigate and protect him are very, very curious about what’s going on out there,” defense attorney James Thomas told jurors in his opening statement. “That premise — that somebody would be out there who is going to be a danger, either to the country or to the president of the United States — got distorted.

“It was a conclusion that was brought to be supported by facts, facts that were manipulated,” Thomas said.

Another defense attorney, Mark Satawa, signaled to the jury that Murray’s credibility will be under intense scrutiny.

“There was not a single act of violence perpetrated by a single individual sitting over here. ... Don’t let fear be the thing you fear,” Satawa told jurors, a day after prosecutors during their opening statement held up weapons and military-style equipment seized during the 2010 arrests.

During her testimony, Larsen said Murray was paid $12,700 for work ahead of the Hutaree investigation. She said he attended meetings of at least one other militia but there were no indications of illegal activity.

The government played portions of videos apparently taken by Hutaree members and posted online. They show people dressed like soldiers firing weapons in the woods, crawling on their bellies and instructing one other about hand-to-hand combat. In one clip, a United Nations flag burns from a pole and is replaced by a Hutaree flag.

Larsen said she was concerned.

“Other militias have a designated training range, a designated firing range,” the agent testified.

Of the original nine defendants, Joshua Clough, of Blissfield, Mich., is the only one to make a deal with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty in December to illegal use of a firearm and faces a mandatory five-year prison sentence. He could be called as a witness to testify for the government.

Besides Stone, the other defendants are Tina Mae Stone, Joshua Stone and David Stone Jr., all from Lenawee County; Piatek; Michael Meeks, of Manchester, Mich.; and Kristopher Sickles, of Sandusky, Ohio. Jacob Ward, of Huron, Ohio, will have a separate trial.

Besides conspiracy charges, all face at least one firearm charge.