Oath Keepers Arrested in Mexico Beach, Florida, for Open Carrying Firearms

[Miami_JBT]

From the article below....

One night we encountered what we believed to be looters in a collapsed house. It turned out to be six people decked out in tactical gear and heavily armed with pistols and AR15 rifles. They surrendered peacefully and said they were private security sent (at 2am) to check on a client's home. It turns out they were actually part of a radical right wing militia group called "The Oath Keepers" and they used an ex police car and false law enforcement credentials to pass through the check point. All six (including the sex offender on felony probation) were arrested. Later in the week we received intel that more Oath Keepers were in the area and were traveling in a fake ambulance. We're still not sure of their true intentions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Complete destruction’: Volusia deputy pens emotional letter about hurricane recovery efforts

[/b]
Here's a great piece written by a Volusia County Sheriff's Deputy that was sent to the panhandle, specifically the City of Mexico Beach, for the relief effort. He was one of the arresting officers and gives some great firsthand insight of how moronic and radical these "Oath Keepers" really are...


"Last night I arrived home safely after a 10 day deployment to Bay County in response to Hurricane Michael. I was excited to go and see the sights. As we got closer to our destination, the damage got worse and worse. In one town there was a heavily damaged gas station that kind of became the central meeting place for the residents. As we approached, I could see people standing along the road with homemade cardboard signs and I assumed they were offering supplies or in need of something. When I got close enough to read them I realized they all read "Looking for (loved one's name)." At that point, I knew this was not what I was expecting and my attitude of excitement changed. Most of you know I'm not a real emotional person, but I think someone was cutting some onions in my truck as our convoy passed those people.


As promised, I took a lot of pictures of the damage, but the pictures don't even begin to do it justice. The word 'disaster' is not strong enough to describe what I saw. It was block after block of complete destruction. In some places you wouldn't even know a house existed if not for the cement slab with tile on it. The devastation is indescribable. Here's a little background to help put the pictures into perspective:


My team was assigned to provide law enforcement services to the small town of Mexico Beach, which has become known as ground zero. For various reasons, the seven person Mexico Beach PD was down to two or three officers, one of which was living in a small tent after his house was destroyed. I was assigned to work night shift (6p-6a) along with five other deputies. The National Guard maintained check points at the entrances to town and no one was allowed in or allowed outside during the overnight curfew hours.


I spent the nights coasting up and down the streets in a four wheel drive truck, watching and listening for anything that could be a looter. It was dark. Like really really dark. There was no electricity for miles in any direction and no matter how many lights you turned on it was still really dark. As I slow rolled through neighborhoods I had to avoid debris in the road and down or low hanging power lines. Even though they were all dead, I almost took off a mirror a few times as lines dragged down the side of the truck.


In addition to being dark, the silence was deafening. The only sound was the occasional water logged smoke detector going off in the debris, which was incredibly eerie. If there was a breeze, the sound of twisted sheet metal flapping in the wind seemed like it would carry for a mile. I'm no believer in the supernatural or any of that BS, but the hours of silence, darkness and vigilance begins to mess with your head after a while. Countless times I'd see someone standing in a debris pile out of the corner of my eye, then when I'd light up the area, no one was there. My coworkers reported similar experiences.


The remains of three victims were recovered while we were there, but by day three there was an unmistakable odor in the air in some of the hardest hit neighborhoods that can only mean that number is likely to grow. Speaking of odors, the water and sewer system was wiped out. There are a series of canals and small inland water ways in town that ran ripe with raw sewage. The water was black. Some of the locals had gone 10+ days without bathing. At most they could jump in the ocean, but the beach and surf was littered with every kind of debris imaginable. Most people just poured a few bottles of water over themselves to get by.


One night we encountered what we believed to be looters in a collapsed house. It turned out to be six people decked out in tactical gear and heavily armed with pistols and AR15 rifles. They surrendered peacefully and said they were private security sent (at 2am) to check on a client's home. It turns out they were actually part of a radical right wing militia group called "The Oath Keepers" and they used an ex police car and false law enforcement credentials to pass through the check point. All six (including the sex offender on felony probation) were arrested. Later in the week we received intel that more Oath Keepers were in the area and were traveling in a fake ambulance. We're still not sure of their true intentions.


There were some million dollar properties along the beach but inland a few blocks was a population of predominantly low income people living in older homes. The older wood frame homes were decimated and most of the residents I talked to in those areas had little or no insurance. FEMA was handing out a maximum of $30k to those without insurance, which will barely cover the cost of clearing the property.


Aside from all of the negativity, every local I encountered was remarkably positive considering they lost everything and had little hope of rebuilding. When the streets were cleared and residents were allowed back in, it was like the hurricane spread little American flag seeds. The flags popped up all over the place. From piles of rubble to collapsed condo balconies they were literally everywhere. I also enjoyed looking at the messages people started spray painting on debris in their yard. Everything from "#MexBeachStrong" to "kiss my ass Michael" and of course a few others I won't share in mixed company. I think their sense of humor was the only thing keeping them going. It will never cease to amaze me how resilient Americans can be despite some of the most overwhelming situations. No matter who you voted for, the color of your skin or the amount of money in your pocket, we're all pretty much the same. When it comes down to it, people helping people is what will get Mexico Beach through this and, so far, they've set an excellent example for the rest of our country to follow.


Written by Volusia County Sheriff's Deputy Corey Charles
10/24/18

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Miami_JBT]

Uh I only see two old men in photo. While I do agree they should not have violated the curfew. I do see a need for organizations like this. They do serve a purpose in certain situations. It is also made up of not just retired professionals but also active duty professionals also. Which I know quite of few of. Plus I do not consider helping others make believe. You do not need a badge or firefighter uniform to do that. But to each their own I guess.

Plus you must be a active duty or retired Military, L.E.O. Firefighter or First responder to be in the OATH KEEPERS. These are all volunteers wanting to help people in need. Not play weekend warrior. Plus they are absolute believers in the CONSTITUTION and BILL of RIGHTS.
But like everything else some overly enthusiastic people slip in. They are expelled when they are found.

But again they should have followed the curfew just like everyone else. I do agree with that. Other than that. They were not breaking any laws by having their weapons. On them. The idea of open carry is open to interpretation with L.E. that's been seen many times. I even bet some here have experienced over zealous L.E.O.s when it came to their guns in certain situations.

Well, the Volusia County Sheriff's Deputy that arrested them claims that one was a sex offender on felony probation and that they used used false law enforcement credentials to pass through a NG check point.

Oath Keepers need to vet better people.

[Skoll]

If Oath Keepers want to be their own little PMC so they can play pretend more legally, there's steps to take to make that happen..

Course, that means being liable for what people do and ceases to be a little clubhouse meeting.

[Firemedic2000]

Uh I only see two old men in photo. While I do agree they should not have violated the curfew. I do see a need for organizations like this. They do serve a purpose in certain situations. It is also made up of not just retired professionals but also active duty professionals also. Which I know quite of few of. Plus I do not consider helping others make believe. You do not need a badge or firefighter uniform to do that. But to each their own I guess.

Plus you must be a active duty or retired Military, L.E.O. Firefighter or First responder to be in the OATH KEEPERS. These are all volunteers wanting to help people in need. Not play weekend warrior. Plus they are absolute believers in the CONSTITUTION and BILL of RIGHTS. BUT like everything else some overly enthusiastic people slip in. They are expelled when they are found.

But again they should have followed the curfew just like everyone else. I do agree with that. Other than that. They were not breaking any laws by having their weapons. On them. The idea of open carry is open to interpretation with L.E. that's been seen many times. I even bet some here have experienced over zealous L.E.O.s when it came to their guns in certain situations.

Well, the Volusia County Sheriff's Deputy that arrested them claims that one was a sex offender on felony probation and that they used used false law enforcement credentials to pass through a NG check point.

Oath Keepers need to vet better people.

As I hightlighted in my previous post. Bad people sneak into every profession as we have seen. Even L.E. , FIRE SVC, Government ect. So to judge an entire group of good people because of a few bad people is wrong.

If we did that then all cops are bad, everyone is bad. People that have been members on gun forums and did bad things then would make all members on gun forums bad. Bad people will slip through into all organizations.

School systems as we have seen, church organizations, L.E. organizations you name it they have infiltrated them at one point or another. That does not make all of the others that did not do anything wrong bad people though. Does it!! They even had to go through more of a rigorous background check than OATH KEEPERS and still got in.

The OATH KEEPER are not bad people. They have good intentions at heart. The guy your taking about used fake credentials to get in. Again that happens in all organizations.

We had a firefighter that worked in Orlando. He got into trouble for trying to force himself on a female firefighter. He quit before any action could be taken. He was hired with Hillsborough FRS.

He did the same thing here. Tried to quit here. But this time it did not work. Hillsborough would not let him just quit. They put him in front of a discipline board and fired him for sexual harassment.

Now it's on his record and he'll never be hired in the FRS again. But he might just squeak through in another state someplace. This has happened with LEOs also.

I said I agree with you though. They broke the curfew.

[Colt45]

"It turns out they were actually part of a radical right wing militia group called "The Oath Keepers".
Another reason why the leftist running the Southern Poverty Law Center shouldn't have been allowed to advise the FBI.

[Firemedic2000]

The OATH KEEPERS are not a radical right wing militia group.

I guess that would make me part of a radical right wing militia group of a bunch of active duty and retired military, LEOs, Firefighters, Paramedics that statements a joke.

[flcracker]

The OATH KEEPERS are not a radical right wing militia group.

I guess that would make me part of a radical right wing militia group of a bunch of active duty and retired military, LEOs, Firefighters, Paramedics that statements a joke.

I am actually comforted by the idea that we still have brave men and women who have received proper training as military, LEOs, Firefighters, and Paramedics that are willing to muster as Constitutional militias. God Bless America!

[Bmup]

In one of the photos I've seen there was a woman in the group of Oath Keepers. I actually met her after hurricane Irma. She came into our neighborhood & helped clear the fallen trees & debris from the roads so people could get through. She worked hard all day for several days & was sweating along with the rest of us. Brought her own food & water so as not to be a burden.
It wasn't until several days later that we found out she didn't live in our neighborhood, even though she once told me she was a neighbor nearby & was a member of a group of volunteers who helped out in cases like this. She never mentioned the Oath Keepers at all. We were all appreciative of her help.

[Miami_JBT]

In one of the photos I've seen there was a woman in the group of Oath Keepers. I actually met her after hurricane Irma. She came into our neighborhood & helped clear the fallen trees & debris from the roads so people could get through. She worked hard all day for several days & was sweating along with the rest of us. Brought her own food & water so as not to be a burden.
It wasn't until several days later that we found out she didn't live in our neighborhood, even though she once told me she was a neighbor nearby & was a member of a group of volunteers who helped out in cases like this. She never mentioned the Oath Keepers at all. We were all appreciative of her help.

So she lied to you and said she was a neighbor and then said she wasn't.

[Bmup]

Yeah, pretty much lied. But she spent 2 days busting her ass in the heat helping us clean up the hurricane mess - and it really was a mess. We had downed trees etc & I was the only one around with a folding tree saw. (those things will kill you) She just helped out, did anything we asked & didn't say much.