Sovereign citizen arrested for weapons violations
A self-described sovereign citizen was arrested in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, on March 2, 2018, on a fugitive warrant from Missouri.
Officers with the arrested , 48, during a traffic stop near Robert, Louisiana. Guidry was not armed at the time of his arrest and did not physically resist.
As Guidry was taken into custody, 鈥渉e said he was a sovereign citizen and did not have to comply with the U.S. government,鈥� the Ponchatoula Police Chief stated in a press release.
Guidry was wanted in Missouri on charges related to being a felon in possession of firearms and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. Guidry has since been charged with various additional firearms violations in Louisiana.
Prior to his arrest, authorities located Guidry at his residence, described as a 鈥�,鈥� located in Loranger, Louisiana. Guidry鈥檚 property is reportedly surrounded by a barbed wire fence. The fence perimeter is allegedly monitored by surveillance cameras. Three guard dogs also roam the property to deter unwanted visitors and trespassers. Guidry鈥檚 residence has windows equipped with bullet-proof roll-down shutters.
As their investigation was ongoing, authorities learned that Guidry was reportedly others on how to become 鈥渟overeign citizen鈥� at his fortified property.
Once Guidry was taken into custody and his guard dogs secured, authorities were able to safely search the property. Their search uncovered an 鈥� six guns, including a suspected with an obliterated serial number, along with a six-month supply of food. Guidry was charged with six additional criminal counts related to his firearms.
Guidry reportedly has a past criminal history related to narcotics possession and other minor criminal offenses. Upon his arrest, Guidry was transported and processed into the on the Missouri warrant. Local, state and federal authorities are continuing their investigation.
The Ponchatoula Police were by the Criminal Intelligence Division, the U.S. , and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations Task Force during their investigation into Guidry鈥檚 criminal activities.
The considers a growing domestic terrorist threat.聽 Sovereign citizens have been involved in numerous violent confrontations with law enforcement, including the August 16, 2012, shooting of in St. Johns Parish, Louisiana, which killed two.
鈥淪overeign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or 鈥榮overeign鈥� from the United States,鈥� the . 鈥淎s a result, they believe they don鈥檛 have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement.鈥�
