A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced three Colorado Springs residents who tried to use false tax returns as a platform for their political beliefs to prison terms ranging from six to 6½ years.
also sentenced George Brokaw, John Pawelski and Mimi Vigil to three years each of supervised release following prison terms.
“I don’t know why you do what you do but I have to uphold the laws of this country,” Arguello told Brokaw after sentencing him to six years in prison.
The judge sentenced the defendants individually Tuesday afternoon. They were convicted on Nov. 11.
As has become their practice, the three defendants made political statements, defying the government’s authority over them.
“I don’t consent to any jail time. I don’t consent to any probation time. I don’t consent to any of this,” Vigil said. Arguello sentenced her to six years in prison and she was led away in handcuffs.
Brokaw repeatedly stated that he was mistakenly identified in the presentence report and asked the judge to nullify the jury verdict against him and set him free.
“I’m here not as a defendant but as a natural man,” he said. “Does anyone here disagree that I’m a living man,” he added while looking around the courtroom. “No?”
Arguello sentenced both Pawelski and Brokaw to prison terms of 6½ years. After he was sentenced, Pawelski attempted to barter with the judge, after commenting that prison was excessive.
“Id’ be willing to pay a fine over a period of 15 years and serve probation,” he said.
Putting him in prison for so long just wouldn’t serve the interests of the public or him, he said.
On Jan. 28, Arguello had ordered the three arrested after they . Two of them had gone golfing while they were supposed to appear in court.
The three defendants claimed that documents they created seeking credit for more than $100 billion in tax payments were part of a political statement. So too, were attempts to receive tax returns in the millions of dollars.
