A Colorado man who just sounds like a barrel of laughs ended up with a 12-year prison sentence this week after spending two years flooding judges and private people with the kind of “paper terrorism” made popular by the sovereign citizen movement.
Brett Andrew Nelson is no stranger to the legal system. Over the course of two years, he ended up in court facing traffic violations, as well as a slew of other minor issues such as a dog bite case and issues in family court. Instead of paying the few thousand dollars in fines and going to mediation, Nelson began a campaign of what the FBI calls “paper terrorism,” as well as threatening behavior. Here’s a few of his actions over the course of two years according to CBS:
Following that, the indictment details a stockpile of threats.
- Nelson asserted in an Alamosa County filing that his freedom was a fundamental right of his “estate” and warned that any action against his estate – such as arrest, court proceeding, or legal process – would be punishable by death.
- Nelson filed a claim of damages against the mother of his child in the amount of $202,000, accused her of “criminal kidnapping” and an “act of treason,” and demanded she deliver him the child or be arrested.
- Nelson filed a claim of damages against the Gunnison County judge who presided over the child custody case for the same amount, demanded return of his child, and threatened to file a lien against her personal property. That judge purchased a security system for her home and the sheriff’s office increased patrols in the area after Nelson called the home and spoke to the judge’s husband.
- Nelson filed a default judgement against an Alamosa County judge claiming the judge owed him $425,000, filed a power of attorney document proclaiming his legal authority over the judge, filed a judgement document increasing the awarded damages to almost $7 million, then repeatedly messaged the judge’s personal email address demanding payment. That judge warned his family members to call 9-1-1 if Nelson was ever seen, and provided them a photo of him.
- Nelson filed a default judgement against a Colorado State Patrol trooper for $5,000; another against Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy for $650,000 and two other deputies for $36,000 each; another against a Gunnison County deputy for $75,000; and another against a corporal with Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office for $95,000
- Nelson filed a default judgement against the deputy district attorney in 12th Judicial District who prosecuted traffic offenses against Nelson, in the amount of $275,000 for “unlawfully administering his estate, illegal detainment in a false court, abuse of her position, ‘attack of the rights of We The People,’ (and) acts of treason, humiliation and intimidation,” as stated in indictment.
- Nelson filed a default judgement against a Gunnison County nurse for $185,000.
- Nelson filed a default judgement against a Gunnison County social worker who was involved in a child abuse investigation against Nelson for $45,000.
- Nelson was charged with theft in 2017. He filed default judgements against the three alleged victims in the amounts of $325,000 and $550,000.
- Nelson also filed a power of attorney notice against the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the theft case, plus the same notice against another deputy DA in the 7th who prosecuted two misdemeanor cases against Nelson, and yet another notice against the County Attorney for Alamosa County after he refused to accept Nelson’s previous documents and filings.
- Nelson also filed a demand for $135,000 from the then-editor editor of the Gunnison Country Times who reported on the theft case.
That’s quite the stack of bullshit! Folks in the towns where he rained down pseudo legalese and frivolous legal actions lived in fear of Nelson. Even though he has been sentence to 12 years for 20 counts of extortion, forgery, and threatening judges in Gunnison, Montrose, and Alamosa counties, they are still afraid for their safety, as Greg Haase, one of Nelson’s neighbors and victims, told CBS:
“It was so regular. We started talking to other people in town, ‘Oh, I have four of those (filings).’”
Haase said the homeowners association took over the eviction process for the 93-year-old homeowner who was renting to Nelson and got him out of the neighborhood.
Haase said he, his wife, his neighbors and many community members are relieved Nelson is behind bars. But they are not confident he will stay there, that his bond won’t be reduced, or that they’re done with the trauma inflicted by Nelson.
“We are doubtful that Drew Nelson will ultimately be held accountable for all of the harm he has caused,” Haase said. “Our lawyer would say the system was not designed to deal with someone who abuses it like this. And if the legal system cannot protect judges against the hostile acts of a defendant, what hope can the rest of us have that the system will ultimately provide justice in our cases?”
Most Americans make contact with police and the legal system via traffic court, so a lot of sovereign citizen bullshit centers around the car. Police even receive special training in how to handle these individuals operating on another planet.
Sovereign citizens often use fake license plates on their cars and declare they have no need for things like driver’s licenses, car registration or insurance. They use legal mumbo jumbo to reject their American citizenship, or deny the validity of the U.S. entirely to establish themselves either immune from following the law. This, of course, never works, but doesn’t stop them from trying.
They’re a fun bunch. Maybe Nelson can learn about the real laws that actually do exist in the prison legal library, thought that may just make him even more dangerous by the time he gets out.