A radical anti-government group known for their armed standoff with federal authorities.
Religion: Christianity
Denomination: Christian Identity
Founded: 1993
Location: Montana, United States
Other Names: Justus Township, Freemen of the Montana State
The Montana Freemen were an anti-government Christian Patriot militia that made headlines in the mid-1990s for their armed standoff with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This group, based outside the town of Jordan, Montana, declared themselves and their compound, known as Justus Township, sovereign from the United States government. They espoused the doctrine of individual sovereignty, rejecting federal authority and engaging in acts of “paper terrorism” against local officials. The most notable event associated with the Freemen was the 81-day standoff with the FBI in 1996, which concluded without the violence many had anticipated.
The roots of the Montana Freemen trace back to earlier movements like Posse Comitatus, with ideologies deeply embedded in white supremacist and anti-government beliefs. Leroy Schweitzer, a former crop-duster and convicted tax evader, was a key leader. He and his followers engaged in fraudulent activities, including the filing of bogus liens against government officials—a tactic meant to harass and bog down the legal system. Schweitzer, along with other members, was eventually arrested and sentenced to federal prison for a range of crimes including bank fraud, armed robbery, and issuing threats against public officials.
The standoff began when FBI agents arrested Schweitzer and two others for refusing to vacate property from which they had been legally evicted. This action prompted an armed response from the remaining Freemen, leading to the prolonged siege. The FBI, keen to avoid the deadly outcomes of previous confrontations like those at Ruby Ridge and Waco, took a cautious approach, eventually leading to a peaceful surrender of the Freemen.
After the standoff, the Freemen continued to challenge the government from behind bars. Schweitzer’s sentence was served at the Administrative Maximum (ADX) facility in Florence, Colorado, where he died in 2011. Other members attempted to extort their release from prison or filed bogus liens from their cells.
image via Criminal Minds Wiki
