Trial date set for local supremacist

National Socialist Movement member Samuel Johnson, an organizer of illegal immigration rally in 2010 at the Veteran's Memorial, shouts at pro immigration protesters. - Herald file photo

A white supremacist from Austin accused of amassing several weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition as part of a plan to attack the government and minorities pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court last month and has a trial scheduled for July 16.

Samuel James Johnson, 31, pleaded not guilty to five felony charges for an armed career criminal in possession of firearms and ammunition on April 26.

Johnson allegedly also tried to recruit others to his cause and actively scouted for a training compound in Illinois and Minnesota, according to a federal affidavit unsealed last month. Johnson is still in jail.

The indictments said Johnson has prior convictions for armed crimes and is not allowed to have weapons, but from late 2010 through late last year he was found with five weapons — including a semi-automatic assault rifle — and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

According to the affidavit, Johnson was a former member and Minnesota leader of the National Socialist Movement, a white nationalist group and had gone on to form his own group, called the Aryan Liberation Movement.

With the new group, Johnson planned to “recruit and train other white supremacist sympathizers toward a final goal of committing acts of violence against the United States government and minority individuals,” the affidavit said.

Johnson was convicted of numerous felonies in Mower County in November 2007, including simple robbery, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, two felony drug charges for controlled substance, third- and fifth-degree drug sale and possession of machine guns and short-barreled shotguns.

Johnson conducted several rallies in Austin in 2009 that prompted protest from several dozen people who also threw tomatoes in response.

—Matt Peterson contributed to this report.

SportsPlus

Business

Guided to Serve: For 25 years Theresa Turnbull has been a trusted soul at Comforcare

Mower County

New mobile app launches to combat food insecurity in Mower County

Mower County

Report on sanitary sewer evaluation given during City Council work session

Agriculture

Kimberly Vrieze joins membership of American Angus Association

Education

Education Briefs

News

Trump’s foreign aid freeze could prove to be a boon for the world’s authoritarian strongmen

Mower County

Austin firefighters battle southwest Austin fire, APD investigating

Mower County

Public hearing set for March 3 regarding addition to Nature Ridge Fourth development

News

Another week to be shaped by court fight over power dynamic within Minnesota Legislature

Mower County

PHOTOS: APDT hosts annual dance show

News

Democrats elect Ken Martin, the party leader in Minnesota, as national chair

Mower County

Love is in the air: Austin Area Foundation to celebrate annual For The Love of Austin

Mower County

YMCA at ACRC celebrates 5th anniversary with special event for community, members and donors

Mower County

Herald collects five awards at this year’s MNA convention

Mower County

Zonta Club of Austin offering a pair of opportunities

Mower County

State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation accepting Century Farm Applications

Mower County

In Your Community: Masons continue supporting Salvation Army food shelf

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Education

Education Briefs

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Convictions: Jan. 20-27

News

Report: Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions bounced back after pandemic, still below 2019 level

News

Flu, COVID-19 and whooping cough down, norovirus still up

News

Trump says he’ll place tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China on Saturday