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In late February, Dave Burgert was arrested after jumping bail and disappearing. Burgert, a known militia activist, held himself hostage with an assault rifle during a standoff with authorities before surrendering. As police looked into his disappearance, they discovered a militia cell he allegedly headed known as Project 7. Authorities discovered a large weapons cache that included machine guns, explosives, 25,000 rounds of ammunition, and intelligence sheets on local police officers and judges that investigators referred to as a hit list.

Burgert described himself as a member of the militia when he participated in the "Convoy of Tears" to Klamath Falls, OR, in the summer of 2001. The Militia of Montana [MOM] has circulated many e-mails written by Burgert about his dealings with the law, including one requesting "patriots" in the Flathead Valley provide a "physical presence" at one of his court hearings. MOM also circulated his account of alleged mistreatment he suffered at the hands of Kalispell police following an altercation in late 2001. In one e-mail to MOM, Burgert referred to MOM as the "Noxon office."

Burgert faces charges of bail jumping, along with assaulting a police officer and obstructing a police officer. Tracy Brockway, a woman apprehended with Burgert, has pleaded guilty to charges of obstructing justice by harboring Burgert. She signed a plea agreement that was submitted to the judge recommending a 10-year suspended sentence. The agreement says Brockway must help authorities investigate Project 7, and that she will not be allowed to participate in paramilitary groups or associate with Burgert. Brockway's formal sentencing will be on June 13. Police believe Brockway may have obtained information found on the intelligence sheets when she worked as a janitor at the Whitefish Police Department.

The judge has been replaced on Burgert's court docket. The county attorney may follow suit. Both Judge Kitty Curtis and County Attorney Tom Esch are reportedly on the alleged hit list.

In late March, the Network received an e-mail from Dave Burgert's mother, Phyllis Richards. She attached an editorial she had written criticizing a column by former U.S. Representative Pat Williams. It was apparent that Burgert's mother supports her son's actions and shares much of his ideology.

Richards said Burgert was a "one-man warrior" against corruption in Kalispell, and the judicial system bankrupted Burgert. She stated that the local police had threatened Burgert and criticized people for not understanding the true concept of the militia. She also said people should "wish you were a Îsovereign citizen,'" but that was taken away long ago. Sovereign citizenship is a term common in the anti-government freemen movement. Freemen believe there are two types of citizenshiP ÷ "sovereign" and "14th Amendment." Freemen believe sovereign citizens are bound only by God's law, and that the 14th Amendment created a second, lower type of citizenship whose rights are granted by the government. A "sovereign citizen" is not bound by federal law. Richards called Pat Williams "Îchattel' to the government."

She complimented the efforts of John Stokes and KGEZ radio in getting their version of the truth out, and she signed the column "Phyllis Richards, Mother of Dave Burgert, Patriot, Constitutionalist as we all should be."

Since Burgert's arrest, John Stokes and his listeners have blamed law enforcement, the media, and the Montana Human Rights Network for Dave Burgert and Project 7. Stokes has tried to distance himself from that controversy, even though both John and Pam Stokes have said over the air that they had met Burgert. Burgert continues to use John Stokes' "The Edge" to rail against local law enforcement since his arrest.

On the day Burgert engaged in a standoff with police, Stokes offered to mediate the situation, saying that Burgert trusted him. He also urged Burgert to call into "The Edge" if he could and Stokes would put him on the air. Stokes said it is "well confirmed" that local law enforcement wanted to get into a shootout with Burgert. In that type of situation, Stokes said "it makes perfectly good sense for you to arm yourself and to protect yourself no matter what" in case "you become under siege." He's also urged Burgert to use this paranoia angle in court, because "it certainly seems like a credible defense."

Burgert called "The Edge" from jail, but Stokes refused to put him on the air. Stokes said he was worried that Burgert would say something that would jeopardize Burgert's defense. Stokes also read a letter he received from the incarcerated Burgert. Burgert wrote that there was no murder plot, and the people on the alleged hit list know why he was keeping a list of their names and addresses. He compared local police forces to "Nazi Gestapos" and called himself a "political prisoner held captive in a foreign country."