Posted on 06/17/2014 3:41:05 AM PDT by rarestia
An FBI manhunt is ongoing for the 55-year-old Valrico man wanted on federal charges of manufacturing illegal weapons.
The search for Martin Winters ranged from Plant City to Lithia on Monday. Officials say Winters, described as "extremeley dangerous" is the subject of an FBI investigation.
There currently is no law enforcement presence in the area.
Agents say Winters was illegally obtaining assault rifles and building pipe bombs.
Federal agents dressed in camouflage gear and holding rifles kept their eyes on an area of woods off Lithia Pinecrest Road Monday evening.
According to authorities, Winters was approached by authorities while in his vehicle just before 9 a.m. Monday on Cheryl Court in Plant City. Officials said Winters got out of his vehicle and ran into a wooded area near Durant High School, which was briefly locked down.
A SWAT team and helicopters were brought in but Winters got away.
Officials said there is an outstanding federal arrest warrant for Winters. According to a federal indictment, Winters is accused of "making destructive devices.”
Investigators said Winter's plan included killing government agents if he or any member of his group were attacked. Winters is described as a Doomsday prepper, and officials said he buried weapons, ammunition and zip-locked food around several of his properties to to prepare for what he called the end of time.
The federal affidavit points out a YouTube video that shows a man they believed to be Winters digging up one of the many 55 gallons barrels on his and other properties near his home.
The federal affidavit goes on to say Winters is part of a group called the River Otter Preppers, and that he had a plan to kill government agents when he needed to. Investigators say he also made statements about creating booby traps at his home in Valrico, then shooting law enforcement officers when they tried to run away.
Winters was indicted in October on four counts of building destructive devices. He has been under government surveillance since then, according to the FBI.
According to officials, Winters told an undercover agent he had 50 AR-15 rifles buried on his property and other properties. The agent also said Winters told him he wanted to burn his house down and then shoot agents as they arrived to the scene.
Winters also said he had at least 40 men that were willing to participate in his "last stand," officials said.
Tampa has become VERY “federalized.” They use the downtown water ways for “show of force exhibitions” where they have SOCOM soldiers in fully armed RHIBs and Hueys buzzing the downtown high rises. Meanwhile the public stands by and cheers and hollers. They don’t see them as an occupying force but “protectors.” They only care that they get to go home at night. If Obama declares you a threat, they’ll be knocking down your door at 2 AM.
Count me in the one raised eyebrow club also. Since when is burying food and guns on your property a crime? Building explosive devices is always the excuse the Feds use when they have nothing else.
The Feds are trying to duplicate the smear the militia campaign of the early 90’s. All they need is a Ruby Ridge to complete the scenario.
I have a feeling they will get it too. They have no plans to take this guy alive. I am pretty sure they will execute him for "resisting arrest" it might be hard to explain why they shot him 43 times, in the back at 2,000 yards, but hey, they will think of something. I mean, you know, sometimes stuff just happens, like computer crashes happen all the time, and all their e mails get lost. Well, if it can work for Lois Lerner, it can work for them too. They will come up with some BS, you know, plausible deniability, or some excuse like that. /s
” ‘firearms’ with a bore larger than .5 inches “
Shotguns, I believe they are still called shotguns.
Unless they have a rifled bore, that is.
I was born and raised in Tampa. It has a long history of crime and being Democratic - there I go being redundant, again. Sorry ‘bout that.
Continuing, there must be something in the water which causes damage to the higher functioning parts of Tampon brains. Even the Academented demonstrate an obtuseness remarkable in its oblivious disregard of reality. Out at USF, Ahab the Arab endowed WISE on campus with a generous contribution of our recycled oil monies.
When the FBI informed USF President Betty Castor of the presense of Muslim terrorist links at WISE she invoked “academic freedom” as the reason for doing nothing about WISE. Soon thereafter, a leader of WISE left campus and reappeared as head of “Islamic Jihad out in Palisimian country.
Now you know why Betty Castor is known as “Betty Boop” or “Betty Opp”.
Another of her family is now Mayor of Tampa, IIRC. Thus it can be said that either Tampa has a large cohort of the mentally deficient or there IS something in their water.
The Tampa folks tend to be quite fond of their guns, and the Tampa Tribune has always been far more conservative than the St. Pete Times, AKA “Pravda On The Bay”.
How this will work out if the FBI ever manages to catch their “suspect” should be interesting.
In the meantime, may “Those Whom Donuts Fear” be served two day old donuts and may their scrounged coffee give them the runs.
Extorting food from donut shops should have consequences.
I was just repeating what the arrest warrant said.
Yeh like the MMA fighter that the FBI shot in the back of the neck during questioning in his condo.
I know you know, but it was a chance to snark on the assortment of fools clowning around on our tax money.
Sorry,
This is local for me. I’ve heard of these guys but have never been to any meetings, for this very reason. I’d wager a lot that these informants set these guys up. Went in and asked for certain illegal items just to see if someone would do it.
I used to think that government agents did not go around killing people. I have changed my mind. I think they do it with sickening regularity. They will shoot your dog too. Ruby Ridge and Waco really turned me around.
Does Winters need any help with target selection?
Uh. . . Where are these super cop Gmen when Hollywood types are sitting around hashing out violent film scripts. That is no different than some tacticool mouthbreather spitting fantasies about offing the man.
This "story" is pretty low on real information...
So true. Remember when the FBI were the good guys?
They think he’s stupid enough to hear that and come out of hiding. If he is and does, he deserves to get caught.
Yes, those days are gone. I just wonder if they are gone forever?
Preaching to the choir, FRiend. 33 year resident of Pinellas here, and I’ve worked everywhere from Lakeland to Tarpon down to St. Pete. I love the area but hate the politics.
FBI: Valrico 'doomsday prepper' still at large
Their desperation is showing! They said:
Though there is less of a law enforcement presence in the area today, the FBI is still actively seeking a Valrico man described as a "doomsday prepper."
LMAO! They are REALLY reaching! "Hey, let's publish that we're NOT looking, maybe he'll show himself?"
Idiots!
Buy a piece of gas pipe and make a shotgun instead OF CONNECTING IT TO YOUR WATER HEATER! That’s against the law?
Not according to youtube. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pipe+shotgun
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