(WWJ) -- Three Michigan men alleged to be members of a national white supremacist group with violent inclinations called “The Base” are facing new charges stemming from a 2019 incident that landed them in trouble with the law.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Wednesday that 25-year-old Justen Watkins, 32-year-old Thomas Denton and 19-year-old Tristan Webb are facing a slew of new charges tied to the incident in Dexter, Mich.
Authorities say Watkins was one of two men charged in the incident in which a family was terrorized at their home after the men allegedly used intimidation tactics on the premises and posted messages to other members of The Base targeting the home.
After charges had been authorized against the men, agencies investigating the case found evidence of other felonies believed to be committed by Watkins and other members of The Base that occurred a few weeks prior to the Department of the Attorney General charging him and his co-defendant, Alfred Gorman.
Watkins, Denton and Webb will now all be charged with the following in connection to the newly discovered evidence:
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-- one count of larceny in a building, a four-year felony;
-- one count of gang membership, a 20-year felony;
-- one count of conspiracy to commit teaching use of firearms for a civil disorder, four-year felony; and
--one count of felony firearm, two-year felony.
The case will be co-prosecuted by Nessel’s office and Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark Renee.
The three men are accused of entering two former Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) sites -- MDOC Camp Tuscola Annex and MDOC Tuscola Residential ReEntry Program -- which were, and are vacant in the city of Caro, Mich and are owned by the Michigan State Land Bank Authority.
The men allegedly entered the buildings on Oct. 3, 2020, and took state-issued clothing from one of the locations. They also allegedly assessed the sites as potential future training grounds for “hate camps,” which is what members of The Base named their paramilitary firearms training exercises.
Founded in 2018, The Base is a White supremacy organization that openly advocates for violence and criminal acts against the U.S., and purports to be training for a race war to establish White ethnonationalist rule in areas of the U.S., including Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, according to Nessel’s office.
The group also allegedly traffics in Nazi ideology and extreme anti-Semitism.
Watkins claims to be the leader of The Base, and reportedly ran a “hate camp” for members of the group, where he led tactical and firearms training for participants with the goal of being prepared for the violent overthrow of the government.
Watkins has been in custody in the Washtenaw County Jail since his bond was revoked in May. Details on his arraignment have not been set for the new charges, though officials say it will be via video from the jail.
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Denton and Webb, meanwhile, were arrested and arraigned Wednesday in Tuscola County’s 71B District Court. Both men were given the following bond terms:
-- $250,000 cash or surety, no 10%;
-- cannot leave the state;
-- cannot possess firearms or dangerous weapons;
-- cannot possess internet-connected devices;
--no alcohol or drugs;
-- no contact with co-defendants; and
-- no contact with other members of The Base.
Denton and Webb will receive GPS tethers if they are able to post bond and they will remain under house arrest except for traveling to and from work and court appearances.Their next court date has been set for Aug. 25.
“As Michigan's chief law enforcement officer, it is my duty to protect the public from those who act upon dangerous anti-government and white supremacy ideologies," Nessel said. “I appreciate the multiagency coordination that took place to secure these charges and I look forward to working with Prosecutor Reene as the case progresses.”
"Our Office wishes to recognize the extraordinary work completed on this case by the investigators at both the Federal and State level,” Reene said. “We tremendously appreciate the leadership Attorney General Nessel has repeatedly demonstrated in matters of this type and will work with her to protect our communities and State against all forms of violence."
In an unrelated case, Watkins is also facing charges in Huron County for possession of steroids and breaking and entering, but officials did not offer further details.