CHEYENNE, Wyo.—A federal jury found a Gillette man guilty Thursday of six counts for threatening a federal judge and other officials over the seizure of his home.
Jurors deliberated for about three hours before finding Laurence Eustelle Wolff, 60, guilty on four counts of mailing threatening communications and two counts of interfering with the administration of IRS laws. Wolff faces up to 37 years in prison on all counts.
Wolff was arrested after barricading himself in his house for 11 days in August.
Prosecutors alleged that Wolff didn’t pay federal taxes between 1988 and 1995 and owed more than $613,000 in back taxes, according to court records. In July, a judge ordered the foreclosure of Wolff’s home to pay off the taxes.
On Aug. 10, Wolff mailed threatening letters to U.S. District Judge William Downes, assistant U.S. attorney Carol Statkus, IRS official Fred Bass and Campbell County Sheriff Bill Pownall.
The letters threatened the four with a deadly standoff if anyone tried to seize his home.
“I will take any that will try to come against me,” Wolff wrote in part.
Wolff’s attorney, Thomas Fleener, of Laramie, declined to comment after the verdict.
Colorado U.S. Attorney Troy Eid prosecuted the case after federal prosecutors in Wyoming recused themselves because of Statkus’ involvement.
Eid said Wolff barricaded himself inside his home with a variety of firearms starting Aug. 18.
“Just around his bed he had six loaded firearms with the rounds in the chamber, he had a couple handguns, a shotgun and three long guns,” Eid said.
Campbell County sheriff’s officials and Gillette police kept periodic watch over the home without engaging in a standoff, said police detective Sgt. Chuck Deaton.
“We were just keeping an eye on him to find an opportune time that benefited us to effect an arrest,” Deaton said.
That happened Aug. 29. Eid said Wolff left the home and was arrested while visiting his mother at a Village Inn restaurant.
Wolff is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 20.
