Alaska Militia Leader Gets 25 Years

Schaeffer Cox blames paranoia for threats against feds
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 8, 2013 11:25 PM CST
Alaska Militia Leader Gets 25 Years
Schaeffer Cox is seen in a video released by a gun rights organization.   (YouTube)

A militia leader in Alaska found guilty of plotting to murder federal law enforcement officials has been sentenced to 25 years and 10 months in federal prison. Schaeffer Cox, the 28-year-old leader of the "Alaska Peacemakers Militia," could have gotten life for his nine federal weapons and conspiracy convictions, the Anchorage Daily News reports. A co-defendant who threatened to kill the chief federal judge in Alaska got the same sentence.

Cox, who is married with two young children, told the court that he was paranoid when he outlined a plan to kill judges and police officers to militia members—including a government informant. "The more scared I got, the crazier the things I started saying. I wasn't thinking, I was panicking," he said. "I lost all of my composure and created a horrible mess and you know, if I was the FBI, I would've investigated me too—I don't blame them for that. I don't blame anybody but myself for starting this." (More Schaeffer Cox stories.)

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