19 July 1997
Source: IRS Inspection <irsnwpr@net.insp.irs.gov>

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    Return-Path: <cypherpunks-errors@toad.com>
    Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 12:28:11 -0400
    From: IRS Inspection <irsnwpr@net.insp.irs.gov>
    To: Interested-Parties@net.insp.irs.gov
    Subject: Something of Interest
    Sender: owner-cypherpunks@toad.com

    					United States Attorney
    					Western District of Washington

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 18, 1997

    JAMES D. BELL PLEADS GUILTY TO OBSTRUCTING THE IRS AND USING FALSE SOCIAL
    SECURITY NUMBERS

    United States Attorney Kate Pflaumer announced that JAMES DALTON BELL, 39,
    pleaded guilty today in the federal court in Tacoma to two felony charges.
    BELL, a resident of Vancouver, Washington, pleaded guilty to obstructing and
    impeding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and to falsely using a social
    security number with the intent to deceive.  United States District Court
    Judge Franklin D. Burgess presided over today's proceedings.

    The charges stem from an investigation initiated in October, 1996 by IRS
    Internal Security Inspectors into reports that BELL was gathering the names
    and home addresses of IRS employees. In previous court hearings, IRS
    Inspectors testified that BELL had obtained the names and home addresses of
    70 IRS employees as part of  "Operation LocatIRS." In the eight page plea
    agreement signed by BELL, he acknowledged that he had gathered the names and
    addresses of the IRS employees in order to intimidate them in the
    performance of their official duties.

    During the course of their investigation, IRS Inspectors discovered that
    BELL was advocating a scheme called "Assassination Politics", whereby
    persons would be rewarded with "digital cash" for killing certain
    undesirable people.  BELL identified these undesirables as government
    employees, such as IRS employees, who would be intimidated from enforcing
    internal revenue laws for fear of being assassinated.  In the plea
    agreement, BELL admitted that he suggested using "Assassination Politics" as
    an enforcement mechanism for the "Multnomah County Common Law Court", and
    that this was part of his effort to obstruct and impede the enforcement of
    internal revenue laws.  In affidavits previously filed in this case, IRS
    investigators identified BELL as a participant in the "Multnomah County
    Common Law Court", which was described as a self-appointed anti-government
    extremist group which purports to hold "trials" of IRS and other Government
    employees for the performance of their official duties.  The affidavits
    indicated that in January, 1997 the "Multnomah County Common Law Court" held
    a "trial" of IRS and other Government officials.

    In the plea agreement, BELL also admitted that on March 16, 1997, he
    conducted a chemical "stink bomb" attack on the IRS office in Vancouver,
    Washington, using the noxious chemical mercaptan.  In affidavits filed with
    the Court, IRS Inspectors tied BELL to two previous mercaptan attacks
    against non-government targets: one being a lawyer's office in 1984, and the
    other a vehicle in 1989.  The IRS investigators also linked BELL to two
    purchase orders for noxious chemicals, one in 1994 and one in 1996.
    According to the plea agreement, the attack on the IRS office resulted in a
    cost to the government of $1,359, and caused a number of IRS employees to
    have to leave work.  In an affidavit previously filed in this case, IRS
    Inspectors indicated that the mercaptan attack may have been linked to the
    February 20, 1997 seizure of BELL's vehicle by the IRS for unpaid taxes.

    As part of the plea agreement, BELL also admitted that he used several
    different social security numbers in order to hide assets from the IRS and
    thus to impede the IRS's ability to collect taxes he owed and to prevent the
    IRS from levying his wages.

    Federal agents had previously executed two search warrants on BELL's
    residence.  On April 1, 1997, IRS agents seized computers, documents, and
    firearms during a search.  In a follow-up search, the Environmental
    Protection Agency seized a variety of dangerous chemicals which had been
    discovered during the execution of the  IRS warrant.  BELL was arrested by
    IRS Inspectors on May 16, 1997.  BELL continues to be held in custody based
    on a May 23, 1997 ruling by Magistrate Judge J. Kelley Arnold that BELL
    posed a danger to the community and was a flight risk.

    BELL faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine
    for the obstruction charge, and five years and a $250,000 fine for using a
    phony social security number.

    The IRS received assistance in the investigation of BELL from the Portland
    Police Bureau, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon State Police, Federal
    Bureau of Investigation, and the Vancouver, Washington Police Department.