Jon Ritzheimer

Last updated

Jon Ritzheimer
Jon Ritzheimer.png
Ritzheimer pictured in 2015
Born (1983-10-31) October 31, 1983 (age 40) [1]
NationalityAmerican
Citizenship United States
Organization(s) 3 Percenters, Oath Keepers
Known for Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Children2

Jon Eric Ritzheimer [2] [3] (born October 31, 1983) [4] is an American political activist. He is affiliated with the 3 Percenters and formerly associated with the Oath Keepers group, [5] and has used social media to declare his opposition to Islam and the Bureau of Land Management.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Early life

A former United States Marine and veteran of the Iraq War, Ritzheimer grew up in Lakeside, California. [6] [7] While serving in Iraq he received a certificate of commendation for engaging three suspected insurgents in 2005. [8] According to Ritzheimer, he was discharged from the Marine Corps for violating its tattoo policy. [9] [lower-alpha 1]

Activities

Ritzheimer first attracted national attention in May 2015 when he began pacing in front of a mosque near his residence in Phoenix, Arizona, wearing a T-shirt that had "Fuck Islam" imprinted on it. [6] Later that month, he organized what media characterized as an "anti-Muslim protest" outside the mosque that drew 250 people. [6] [11] During an interview on CNN about the protest, Ritzheimer compared himself to the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence. [12] He later started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $10 million which would be used, he said, to either finance his life in hiding (he had earlier alleged "they're calling for lone wolves to come and behead me") or to challenge John McCain for United States Senate. [13]

In June 2015, Ritzheimer posted a video to his Facebook page. In the video, in which he appeared shirtless, Ritzheimer claimed "hackers have ruined my life", alleging that he was a victim of identity theft by persons who had publicly exposed his social security number and credit card information. He went on to explain that he was also suffering from malnutrition and that his earlier wearing of the "Fuck Islam" T-shirt was "distasteful" and "stupid". [14]

By September, the group Oath Keepers reported they were in the process of expelling Ritzheimer from their organization after he suddenly announced detailed plans to "arrest" United States Senator Debbie Stabenow for treason. [5] In response, Ritzheimer said he was withdrawing his membership from the group. The U.S. Capitol Police, which is responsible for the protection of members of Congress, meanwhile announced they had started coordinating with police in Michigan, Stabenow's home state, to monitor attempts by Ritzheimer or confederates to carry out the threat of "arrest". [15]

The following month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning to local law enforcement about Ritzheimer after he posted a YouTube video of himself brandishing a firearm and declaring his intent to confront staff at The Islamic Post, a small newspaper in Hancock, New York, in response to the paper's labeling him as "an American Taliban". [16] According to Ritzheimer, he was contacted by the New York State Police, who admonished him not to attempt to cross the New York border. [17]

In January 2016, Ritzheimer participated in the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. [18] [19] During the occupation, Ritzheimer complained about people sending him sex toys in the mail, observing that the senders "just hate, and hate, and hate, and hate." In what The Oregonian described as a "tantrum", a YouTube video shot by Ritzheimer showed him pushing boxes of sex toys off a table inside one of the occupied buildings. [20] A Southern Poverty Law Center spokesperson described Ritzheimer's ascendance as very disturbing, saying "I think he's potentially very dangerous. He often comes across as literally unhinged. He's rabid about everything. If I was a member of federal law enforcement up there in Oregon, I would be very concerned." [21]

Ritzheimer operated an ecommerce website called Rogue Infidel, which sold T-shirts and bumper stickers emblazoned with "Fuck Islam" and other slogans. [22] He has said that he supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. [17]

Ritzheimer voluntarily surrendered on January 26, 2016, to local authorities in his hometown of Peoria, Arizona. He has been charged with a federal felony of conspiracy to impede officers of the U.S. from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats—an offense attracting a sentence of up to ten years' imprisonment. [23] [24] On March 9, 2016, Ritzheimer was also charged with a variety of counts, including possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in federal facilities, use and carry of firearms in relation to a crime of violence—an offense that incurs a sentence of five years minimum to life, consecutive—and theft of government property. [25] [26]

On June 10, 2016, U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown dismissed one of two firearms charges against Ritzheimer and seven other militants. She cited that the underlying conspiracy charge does not meet the legal definition of a "crime of violence" as defined by Ninth Circuit case law. [27] [28]

On August 15, 2016, Ritzheimer pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge as part of a plea bargain deal. [29] On November 30, 2017, Ritzheimer was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison and must spend another 12 months in a residential re-entry program. [30]

Personal life

Ritzheimer is married and has two children. [7] During the occupation he reportedly lived off of veterans disability checks and his wife's working income. [31] [32]

Notes

  1. ↑ The Corps' tattoo policy prohibits tattoos on arms below the elbow, on legs below the knee, on the head or neck, as well as any tattoo on any part of the body that is "sexist, racist, vulgar, anti-american, anti-social, gang related, or extremist group or organization related." [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harney County, Oregon</span> County in Oregon, United States

Harney County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,495, making it the sixth-least populous county in Oregon. The county seat is Burns. Established in 1889, the county is named in honor of William S. Harney, a military officer of the period, who was involved in the Pig War and popular in the Pacific Northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malheur National Wildlife Refuge</span> Protected area in eastern Oregon, USA

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located roughly 30 miles (48 km) south of the city of Burns in Oregon's Harney Basin. Administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge area is roughly T-shaped with the southernmost base at Frenchglen, the northeast section at Malheur Lake and the northwest section at Harney Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Aiken</span> American judge (born 1951)

Ann Louise Aiken is an American attorney and jurist in the state of Oregon. A native Oregonian, she has served as a state court judge of the Oregon circuit courts and worked in private legal practice. She is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. She served as chief judge of the court from February 1, 2009 to January 31, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Robert Hogan</span> American judge (born 1946)

Michael Robert Hogan is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. He served as chief judge from 1995 to 2002. He was based at the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon. While he was Chief Judge, he was an influential force on the design of the new courthouse. He took senior status with the court on September 24, 2011 and retired on November 1, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Philpot</span> American politician (born 1971)

Jay Morgan Philpot is an American attorney and Republican Party politician. He was a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 2001 to 2004, representing District 45 in Salt Lake County from 2001 to 2004. He was vice-chair of the Utah Republican Party from 2009 and 2010. Philpot was the 2010 Republican nominee for Utah's 2nd congressional district, losing to Democrat Jim Matheson. He unsuccessfully ran for governor of Utah in 2012 and Utah State Senate in 2016.

The 2010 Portland car bomb plot involved an incident in which Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a Somali-American student, was arrested in an FBI sting operation on November 26, 2010, after attempting to set off what he thought was a car bomb at a Christmas tree lighting in Portland, Oregon. He was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. An attorney for Mohamud argued that his client was entrapped. On January 31, 2013, a jury found Mohamud guilty of the single charge against him. He was scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2013, however the sentencing was cancelled in anticipation of the filing of new motions by the defense. In September 2014, Mohamud was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison with credit for time served, as well as lifetime supervision upon release in 2040.

The 2014 Bundy standoff was an armed confrontation between supporters of cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and law enforcement following a 21-year legal dispute in which the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) obtained court orders directing Bundy to pay over $1 million in withheld grazing fees for Bundy's use of federally owned land adjacent to Bundy's ranch in southeastern Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliven Bundy</span> American cattle rancher

Cliven D. Bundy is an American cattle rancher known for his role in the 2014 Bundy standoff. Bundy has advocated a philosophy opposed to what he views as federal government overreach. He is the father of Ammon Bundy, who in 2016 also led another armed standoff against the government, the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge</span> Armed occupation of a US federal protected area in Oregon in 2016

On January 2, 2016, an armed group of Right-wing militants seized and occupied the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon, and continued to occupy it until law enforcement made a final arrest on February 11, 2016. Their leader was Ammon Bundy, who participated in the 2014 Bundy standoff at his father's Nevada ranch. Other members of the group were loosely affiliated with non-governmental militias and the sovereign citizen movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citizens for Constitutional Freedom</span> Armed private U.S. militia

Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), later also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), was the name taken on January 4, 2016, by an armed private U.S. militia that occupied the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in the U.S. state of Oregon from January 2 to February 11, 2016. The leader of the organization was Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy, who engaged in a standoff with the federal government over grazing rights on federal land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammon Bundy</span> American anti-government activist

Ammon Edward Bundy is an American anti-government militant and activist who led the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. He is the son of rancher Cliven Bundy, who was the central figure in the 2014 Bundy standoff in Nevada regarding unpaid grazing fees on federally-owned public land.

David M. "Dave" Ward was the sheriff of Harney County, Oregon, from 2015 until 2020. This included during the time of the Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaVoy Finicum</span> American militia group spokesman (1961–2016)

Robert LaVoy Finicum was one of the American militants who staged an armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January 2016. After it began, the occupying force organized itself as the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, of which Finicum was a spokesman. He was the only fatality of the occupation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge</span>

This timeline of the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge describes the progression of events leading up to, during, and after the occupation. The 2016 event played out over several weeks of public statements, occupying activity, and rallies.

United States v. Hammond was a court case in Oregon, United States, culminating from 20-year-long legal disputes between Harney County ranchers Dwight Lincoln Hammond Jr., 73, his son Steven Dwight Hammond, 46, and federal officials. In 2012, both Hammonds were charged with several counts in relation to two fires in 2001 and 2006, and eventually convicted of two counts of arson on federal land. Knowing they would face the statutory minimum of five years, the men waived their right to appeal these convictions in exchange for dismissal of several unresolved charges. After this mid-trial agreement was entered, the Hammonds were sentenced to a few months in jail, which they served. In 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated these sentences because they were shorter than the statutory mandatory minimum. The Ninth Circuit remanded to the district court for resentencing. The district court subsequently re-sentenced both Hammonds to the mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with credit for time served.

From January 2 to February 11, 2016, the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) in eastern Oregon were seized and occupied by an armed group, later called Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, affiliated with private U.S. militias and the sovereign citizen movement following an earlier peaceful march in protest of the prison sentences for ranchers Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven Hammond, who were convicted of arson on federal land, sentenced to five years' imprisonment, and sought clemency from the U.S. president. The occupation received widespread coverage from media outlets.

Glenn E. Palmer is the former sheriff of Grant County, Oregon. Palmer was the only Sheriff in Grant County history to be elected for five consecutive terms. He was first appointed in November 2000. Palmer lost his bid for reelection in 2020.

Ryan C. Bundy is an American cattle rancher and former Independent candidate in Nevada's 2018 Gubernatorial Election. He is the brother of Ammon Bundy and the son of Cliven Bundy, who was a central figure in the 2014 Bundy standoff in Bunkerville, Nevada over his unpaid grazing fees on federally-owned public land. Ryan Bundy was noted as a participant and leader in both the 2014 Bundy standoff and the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

Marcus Mumford was an American criminal defense lawyer. He was known for representing the defendants in the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and Ponzi schemer Rick Koerber.

References

  1. ↑ "United States of America v. Ammon 6UNDY, Jon RITZHEIMER, Joseph O'SHAUGHNESSY, Ryan PAYNE, Ryan BUNDY, Brian CAVALIER, Shawna COX, Peter SANTILLI" (PDF). United States District Court for the District of Oregon. January 26, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ Bird, Anna (January 3, 2016). "The Anti-Muslim Zealot in Bundy's Oregon Militia". Daily Beast . Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  3. ↑ Merda, Chad (September 24, 2015). "Militia will arrest senators for treason, vows anti-Islam rally organizer". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on February 11, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "United States District Court for the District of Oregon". Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Merda, Chad (September 24, 2015). "Militia will arrest senators for treason, vows anti-Islam rally organizer". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Bird, Anna (January 3, 2016). "The Anti-Muslim Zealot in Bundy's Oregon Militia". Daily Beast . Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  7. 1 2 De La Rosa, Christian (June 5, 2015). "Retired Marine tries to clear name after controversial rally outside mosque". KSWB-TV. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  8. ↑ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (January 4, 2016). "Meet the motley crew of veteran militiamen in Harney County". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on January 4, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  9. ↑ Gettys, Travis (September 23, 2015). "Anti-Muslim militiaman seeks gas money to 'arrest' Michigan Democrat for 'treason' over Iran deal". Raw Story . Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Tattoo (Body Art) Policy". military.com. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  11. ↑ Sidner, Sara; Payne, Ed (May 30, 2015). "Mohammed cartoon contest: Protest held outside Phoenix mosque". CNN. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  12. ↑ MacNeal, Caitlin (May 29, 2015). "Anderson Cooper Grills Ariz. Man Over 'Draw Muhammad' Contest". Talking Points Memo . Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ Garcia, Ahiza (June 1, 2015). "Arizona Anti-Muslim Activist Tries To Raise $10M As He Goes Into Hiding". Talking Points Memo . Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  14. ↑ Garcia, Ahiza (June 3, 2015). "Anti-Muslim Activist Who Tried To Raise $10M: 'Hackers Have Ruined My Life!'". Talking Points Memo . Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  15. ↑ Jerde, Sarah (September 24, 2015). "Watch: Anti-Muslim Activist Rages Against Oath Keepers For Refusing To Arrest Dem Sen". Talking Points Memo . Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  16. ↑ Rayman, Graham (November 27, 2015). "Exclusive: FBI warns NY police about anti-Islam Arizona man who may be headed to state to confront Muslim group". Daily News . New York. Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  17. 1 2 Brosseau, Carli (January 5, 2016). "'Rogue infidel' Jon Ritzheimer among Oregon wildlife refuge occupiers". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  18. ↑ Padilla, Vivian (January 3, 2016). "Jon Ritzheimer, organizer of various anti-Islam rallies, appears in Oregon protest videos". KNXV-TV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  19. ↑ Zaitz, Les (January 2, 2016). "Militia takes over Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on January 3, 2016.
  20. ↑ Rose, Joseph (January 12, 2016). "Watch: Oregon militant throws tantrum about hate mail". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  21. ↑ Holley, Peter (January 5, 2016). "The 'unhinged' Oregon protester that the FBI has been tracking for months". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Three of the Most Islamophobic Responses to the Chattanooga Shooting". Georgetown University. July 21, 2015. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  23. ↑ Mitchell, Garrett (January 27, 2016). "Jon Ritzheimer set to appear in federal court in Phoenix". The Arizona Republic . Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  24. ↑ Bernstein, Maxine (March 9, 2016). "New six-count indictment unsealed in Malheur refuge occupation case". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  25. ↑ "New charges added for Bundys, other militia". KOIN News. March 9, 2016. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Ammon Bundy, Others Face Weapons Charge With Possibility Of Life Sentence". Talking Points Memo. Associated Press. March 10, 2016. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  27. ↑ Bernstein, Maxine (June 10, 2016). "Judge Dismisses One of the Gun Charges Against 7 Defendants". Oregon Live. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Order Granting Motion (#465) to Dismiss and Dismissing Count Three of the Superseding Indictment" (PDF). United States District Court for the District of Oregon. Oregon Live. June 10, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  29. ↑ Woolington, Rebecca (August 16, 2016) [1st pub. August 15, 2016]. "Oregon standoff defendant Jon Ritzheimer pleads guilty in federal conspiracy case". The Oregonian/OregonLive.com. Advance Publications. ISSN   8750-1317. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  30. ↑ Oregon refuge occupier Jon Ritzheimer: 'I am extremely sorry for this entire mess Archived December 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , The Oregonian , Maxine Bernstein, November 30, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  31. ↑ Boggioni, Tom (January 8, 2016). "Broke, unemployed and on disability: Here's how the Oregon militants can afford to play 'patriot' games". Raw Story. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Marine to host 'Drawing Muhammad' rally outside Arizona Mosque tomorrow". May 28, 2015. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.