- Posted December 07, 2011
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Man pleads to firearm charge in militia case
DETROIT (AP) -- A member of a Midwest militia accused of conspiring to rebel against the government and use weapons of mass destruction has pleaded guilty to a firearm charge, the first plea in the case, the government said Monday.
Joshua Clough, 29, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
During a series of raids in March 2010, authorities arrested Clough and eight other alleged members of a southern Michigan group called Hutaree. Federal prosecutors claim Hutaree members were scheming to kill a police officer, then attack law enforcement who attended the funeral, in the first steps toward a broader rebellion.
The remaining eight defendants are scheduled to stand trial beginning Feb. 7 before U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Roberts, Eastern District of Michigan.
As part of his plea, Clough acknowledged he was a member of Hutaree and in February of last year participated in a training session that "focused on an upcoming covert reconnaissance exercise," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in a statement. She said Clough "used and carried a firearm" during the training session.
Plea negotiations began in the spring, defense attorney Randall C. Roberts said.
"My client made a decision based upon his situation and we decided to forge ahead with this plea," Roberts said.
Clough was expected to be sentenced in April, his lawyer said.
He faces a mandatory five years in federal prison.
Published: Wed, Dec 7, 2011
headlines Oakland County
- Associations gather for Spring Fling
- Supreme Court denies rehearing request by attorneys sanctioned for meritless election lawsuit
- Law school conducts ‘Know Your Rights Day’ for high school students
- Oakland County household hazardous waste dropoff events promote environmental stewardship and safeguard communities
- Nessel testifies in support of BRITE Act
headlines National
- Incarceration series includes female inmates but doesn’t tell full story
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Former DOJ official who alleged election fraud violated at least one ethics rule, ethics committee says
- Winston & Strawn will provide reduced-cost legal services for routine tasks under Winston Legal Solutions umbrella
- Should Justice Sotomayor retire? Chemerinsky, White House haven’t joined calls for her to step down
- Which BigLaw firms are increasing lateral associate hiring the most? One made legal headlines last year