Dana Nessel for Attorney General: Members of Wolverine Watchmen Convicted on All Charges

LANSING –  Three members of the Wolverine Watchmen were found guilty on all  charges by a Jackson County jury, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced  today.  

Joseph Morrison, Paul Bellar and Pete Musico were convicted on the following charges in the Fourth Circuit Court: 

Joseph Morrison, of Munith, was convicted of:  

• Gang membership, a 20-year felony that may be served as a consecutive sentence;
• Providing material support for terrorist acts; and

• Carrying  or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony  firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served  consecutively.  

Paul Bellar, of Milford, was convicted of:  

• Providing material support for terrorist acts, a 20-year felony and/or $20,000 fine;   
• Gang membership, a 20-year felony, which may be served as a consecutive sentence; and   
• Carrying  or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony  firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served  consecutively. 

Pete Musico, of Munith, was convicted of:  

• Gang membership, a 20-year felony that may be served as a consecutive sentence;
• Providing material support for terrorist acts, a 20-year felony and/or $20,000 fine; and

• Carrying  or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony  firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served  consecutively. 

“The  prosecution of these cases prevented horrific acts from taking the  lives of innocent people. Terrorist attacks and mass shootings are not  spontaneous events, they are the result of planning, plotting and  amassing resources in a build-up to violent acts.  If prosecutors had  known about the events leading up to the tragedy in Oxford, they could  have intervened and prevented the massacre of innocent students. 

“Instead  of only reacting to known threats, it is imperative that law  enforcement be proactive in order to save lives. This office will not  sit idly by and watch while armed terrorists plan acts of civil unrest  with the intent of causing mayhem and murder. These are not merely acts  of ‘harmless chatter’ and ‘wishful thinking.’ These are criminal  conspiracies to conduct dangerous acts, and it is incumbent upon law  enforcement to treat this activity as such. 

“Make  no mistake, the quick actions of law enforcement saved lives. We are  pleased the jury clearly understood that,” said Nessel.

“These  defendants believed violence was an appropriate way to address an  ideological grievance. Today’s verdict sends a clear message they were  wrong. Violence is never the answer, and the FBI remains committed to  investigating and holding accountable anyone who seeks to further an  ideological cause through violence.  

“This  was a large-scale investigation conducted by law enforcement agencies  not only inside Michigan but across the country, and I want to thank the  Joint Terrorism Task Force and each of the member agencies who worked  tirelessly to ensure these defendants could not carry out their deadly  plans.

“Citizens  across the State can take comfort in the fact that law enforcement  agencies across Michigan are working together every day to protect our  communities from ideological extremists seeking to do harm,” said  Special Agent Mara Schneider, spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of  Investigation, Detroit field office.

Morrison,  Bellar and Musico were charged under Michigan’s Anti-Terrorism Act of  2002.  They are three of several men that were arrested on domestic  terrorism charges after a joint operation by state and federal authorities in early October 2020  exposed a plot that included targeting law enforcement officers,  threatening violence to incite a civil war, planning an attack on the  state Capitol building and kidnapping government officials, including  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. 

Morrison, Bellar and Musico will be sentenced on December 15 at 9 a.m.

Original source can be found here.