Quatloos!

I kid you not.

He was recently sentenced to 6 years for improperly labelled products among other things. The money quote? Here are a couple.

“I do not waive my immunity to this court,” Girod told the judge. “I do not consent.”

“I am not a creation of state/government, as such I am not within its jurisdiction,” Girod wrote. He added later: “The proceedings of the ‘United States District Court’ cannot be applied within the jurisdiction of the ‘State of Kentucky.’”

Link goes to full article at Kentucky.com.

Bonus quote from Richard Mack, a former Arizona sheriff and political activist:

“This is a national disgrace and outrage. ... He is being punished for being stubborn.”

Mack is also quoted as saying an appeal for a Presidential pardon would be sent to President Bush.

I haven't read the indictment or the sentencing order, but threatening a witness was the most serious of the charges. It alone could bring 20 years.

Which is probably why he is facing up to 68 years with all factors considered.

If you google his name, you will find a number of other perspectives on this case that either ignore the fact that he threatened a witness or gloss over it; many of the stories don't mention that he was a fugitive for 5 months. Instead, their angle is the number of years that the FDA has been investigating Girod for manufacturing, marketing and selling his salves. The point that they are trying to drive home is that the government has been overreaching its authority in trying to deny Girod the right to make a living. Some of it seems supported by the stories of the FDA telling Girod to change his labels, he cooperates, and then the FDA returns to make more demands. But even if this is true, Girod ended up shooting himself in the foot by going on the lam and threatening the witness.

I must point out that the (apparently) original case, the one that started all of this, was an in rem forfeiture case with the terrific title of...deep breath now:

United States of America v. 1,149 4 ounce round metal tins, more or less, of an article of drug, labeled in part: “*** CHICKWEED HEALING SALVE *** Usage: Good for skin disorders *** Made by: S.A.E.G. ***,” 244 2 ounce round metal tins, more or less, of an article of drug, labeled in part: “*** TO-MOR-GONE *** (Black Salve) *** Ingredients: Blood Root, ***,” 316 1/3 fluid ounce glass bottles, more or less, of an article of drug, labeled in part: “*** R.E.P. *** For sinus infection, *** Made by: S.A.E.G. ***” all other quantities of the above articles of drug, in any size and type of container, whether labeled or unlabeled, that are located anywhere on the premises of Notions-n-Things Distribution, 20497 Hwy 65, Bogard, Missouri, and which are labeled or otherwise determined to have originated outside the state of Missouri.

By the way, the last filing in that case (4:12-cv-00362, in the Western District of Missouri) is titled, "NOTICE of filing of Notice of Destruction of Defendants In Rem by United States of America", which is a bit jarring to see.

This is not the first time a peddler of Black Salve has gone the route of sovcit arguments, apparently, as documented by Peter Bowditch over at his site (about halfway down).

Anyway, glancing through the criminal case on PACER, there doesn't seem to be the usual quantity of sovereign flotsam cluttering the docket here, although Mr. Girod did attempt to appeal his case about halfway through (which went nowhere) and did write a letter to the court insisting that he was a man of God, etc., and should therefore be released. He also got the sheriff of Bath County, Kentucky, to intervene on his behalf. Evidently that didn't work out so well for him, but I suppose it's nice to have friends to go to bat for you, anyway.

Dezcad wrote:He's been sentenced to 6 years.

Which is what rogfulton said in his OP:

rogfulton wrote:He was recently sentenced to 6 years for improperly labelled products among other things.