Project 7 member to go on trial

MISSOULA - Two members of Project 7 pleaded guilty to federal weapons charges Tuesday, but the last indicted member fired his lawyer and plans to go to trial.

The three men comprise half of the indicted members of Project 7 - a militia group that amassed machine guns. Local officials have said Project 7 members plotted to kill law-enforcement officers, their families and others. The other three members previously pleaded guilty in the case.

Steven Morey, 44, and John Slater, 54, both of Kalispell, admitted their guilt to Chief U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula. They will be sentenced on Feb. 25, facing 70 and 10 years in prison, respectively.

Larry Chezem, 53, formerly of Martin City, was also scheduled to plead guilty, but fired his lawyer and said he wouldn't plead. He will go to trial at the end of January or beginning of February.

Chezem ran unsuccessfully for Flathead County sheriff in 2002 as a Libertarian. Then, he said, "I know some so-called Project 7 members, but I'm not one of them."

Federal investigators don't believe that.

Chezem moved to Indiana and was returned to Montana this year, charged with conspiracy to possess illegal weapons. He pleaded innocent in May.

Last month, he signed an affidavit, saying he planned to plead guilty to possessing an illegal weapon.

But Tuesday, he evidently changed his mind.

He appeared with his court-appointed attorney from eastern Montana, refusing to be sworn in to testify about his guilt.

"I can not swear or affirm because of my spiritual convictions," Chezem told Molloy. He cited a chapter of Matthew in the Bible as the basis for how he conducts himself and then explained to Molloy that "to affirm is the same as swear, except swear is Anglo-Saxon roots and affirm is Latin roots."

Molloy pondered the requirement for swearing in a person and then simplified it.

"Are you going to tell me the truth?" he asked Chezem.

"Yes, sir," Chezem said.

But the hearing didn't get far beyond Chezem's background before it ground to a halt again.

According to the plea agreement, Chezem was to plead guilty to a charge of possessing a machine gun. A grand-jury indictment on a charge of conspiracy to possess the weapons would be dropped. He told Molloy Tuesday that he isn't going to plead guilty after all.

Now, Chezem will stand trial on the original indictment, and he'll do it without an attorney.

In a closed hearing, Molloy heard why Chezem wanted to fire his court-appointed attorney. The result is that Chezem will represent himself at trial.

Testimony could come from other members of the group who face prison time.

Morey and Slater are the most recent to plead guilty.

Morey pleaded guilty to eight firearms offenses. In his plea agreement, a ninth charge was dropped.

He admitted conspiring to possess illegal firearms from March 2001 to May 2003. He also admitted possessing seven machine guns or, in one count, possessing three components that could be assembled into a machine gun.

Some of the guns were in boxes, but Morey admitted having "a real good, sneaking suspicion" what they were.

Prosecuting Assistant U.S. Attorney Kris McLean said, "Mr. Morey was moving firearms around," from homes and burial sites, "concerned about law-enforcement finding out about the machine guns."

An FBI informant taped phone conversations with Morey; officials eventually seized the weapons.

Morey has been in custody since he was arrested by federal agents in February. Tuesday, Molloy released him on several conditions until his sentencing.

Morey said he "wouldn't dishonor the court" by fleeing. He has a wife and children to care for, he said.

Molloy wondered at "how the heck you got involved in this nutty stuff that's illegal."

Morey said he also wonders.

Molloy cautioned Morey not to contact the informant who was identified in court.

"It would be stupid nutty," Molloy said.

Morey promised to keep his distance.

According to prosecutors, Project 7's purpose was to "arm and prepare itself for a call to arms in defense of personal safety and personal property, as well as to defend the state of Montana and the United States against attacks from foreign nations in the event the United States armed forces were defeated," according to prosecutors. It also prepared for catastrophes such as a natural disaster or economic collapse.

Members reportedly trained with machine guns in the woods.

Slater pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun, under the same plea agreement Chezem turned down.

After clearing up for Molloy that his name is Slater, not Slatter as some court documents represent, he admitted that he "did have [a machine gun] in my hands and fired it."

McLean said Project 7 members met at Slater's home and that he is said to have provided security at the meetings.

Last week, David Burgert, 40, of Kalispell, was sentenced for his involvement with the group. Said to be the leader of Project 7, Burgert is already serving a seven-year prison term for a separate weapons conviction. Another three years was added to the end of that sentence.

Also convicted and waiting sentencing are Tracy Brockway, 34, formerly of the Flathead Valley, and James Day, 60, of Kalispell.