In March 2011, Cox was arrested on federal charges in Fairbanks, Alaska, by the United States Marshals Service. He was charged with conspiracy to possess unregistered silencers and destructive devices, possession of an unregistered destructive device, possession of an unregistered silencer, possession of an unregistered machine gun, and other related charges under 18 U.S.C. § 371, 18 U.S.C. § 922 and 18 U.S.C. § 924 and Internal Revenue Code sections 5861(d), 5871, and 5861(f). Also charged for involvement in the plot were Lonnie Vernon, Karen Vernon and Coleman Barney. Cox's lawyers argued unsuccessfully that the charges should have been thrown out because the grand jury that served the indictment was flawed.
In late October 2011, all state charges against Cox and his fellow defendants were dismissed. The dismissals followed a court ruling that kept prosecutors from using, as evidence, secret FBI recordings made without a search warrant. According to Assistant District Attorney Dway McConnell, the state charges cannot be refiled.
Cox continued to face the federal weapons charges. In November 2011, additional federal charges were brought against him. The new charges related to the alleged purchase of hand grenades and silencers, and alleged possession of a loaded grenade launcher.
On January 20, 2012, Cox and two co-defendants were charged in the same case with conspiracy to kill officers and employees of the United States, including law enforcement officers, "in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111 and 1114...." The trial began on May 7, 2012. The case went to the jury on Thursday, June 14, 2012.
On June 18, 2012, Cox and codefendant Lonnie Vernon were each found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. The jury was unable to reach consensus on the conspiracy charge against codefendant Coleman Barney. Barney was, however, convicted of conspiracy to possess unregistered silencers and destructive devices and possession of unregistered destructive devices.
On September 24, 2012, Coleman L. Barney was sentenced to five years in federal prison. On January 7, 2013, Lonnie Vernon and his wife, Karen Vernon, were sentenced to 25 and 12 years, respectively.
On January 8, 2013, Cox was sentenced to 310 months, or nearly 26 years, in federal prison. The conviction and sentence are being appealed. Cox is currently incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois and is scheduled for release in 2033.
On December 13, 2013 Cox recanted his account of mental illness and published a letter that insinuated the Federal government is part of a conspiracy that led to his sentencing.
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