Florida Family Association sent out an alert at 11:45 pm on September 10, 2018 titled US Judge gives defense lawyers time to prepare for detention and preliminary hearings for New Mexico jihadis. Hearing is set for September 12, 2018.  The alert urged people to send emails to encourage the two magistrate judges assigned to the case to make public safety the priority over political correctness prior to the hearing.  Florida Family Association was concerned that the magistrate judges in the case may follow the New Mexico State Court by releasing the defendants on bail.

A federal magistrate judge in Albuquerque on September 12, 2018 ordered that all five adults arrested after an August 3, 2018 raid at a compound in Taos County with 11 malnourished children be detained while awaiting trial on firearms-related charges.  US Magistrate Judge Kirtan Khalsa told attorneys for at least some of the defendants that she may consider releasing them to a third party if one comes forward and is willing to board them while the case is litigated.  Given what Khalsa told defense attorneys, Florida Family Association questions what Khalsa would have ultimately done had Florida Family Association not launched the email campaign that influenced thousands of people to send emails urging her not to release the defendants.  Thankfully the case has been reassigned to the district’s chief judge.

A federal grand jury issued an indictment on September 11, 2018 against the same five adults whose bail hearing was scheduled for September 12, 2018.  The new indictment contains a multitude of charges involving illegal weapons, transporting minors, conspiracy and plans to commit violence.  The following two notable sections were taken from the indictment.

5.  It was further part of the conspiracy that JANY LEVEILLE, SIRAJ IBN WAHHAJ, HUJRAH WAHHAJ, SUBHANAH WAHHAJ and LUCA MORTON and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, established a resident, training camp, and firing range at which they stored firearms and ammunition and engaged in firearms and tactical training as part of their common plan to prepare for violent attacks on government, military, educational, and financial institutions in fulfillment of JANY LEVEILLE's religious prophecies.

8.  In or between December 2017 and August 2018 in Taos County, in the District of New Mexico, JANY LEVEILLE, SIRAJ IBN WAHHAJ, HUJRAH WAHHAJ, SUBHANAH WAHHAJ, and LUCAS MORTON possessed and discharged firearms as part of their common plan to prepare for violent attacks on government, military, educational, and financial institutions in fulfillment of JANY LEVEILLE's religious prophecies.

The case was reassigned to Chief District Judge William P. Johnson.  Judge Johnson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Military Institute in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University in 1985. He was in the United States Army Reserve from 1981 to 1990.   Judge Johnson was nominated by President George W. Bush on September 4, 2001, to a seat vacated by John Edwards Conway.  He became Chief Judge on February 7, 2018.

Florida Family Association plans to carefully follow this case and take future action if it is warranted.