Tropisms of the Vipers

by Fran Van Cleave
(May 1997)

This spring, ten members of the Viper Team (called the "Viper Militia" in the media) were sentenced after pleading guilty to various charges of conspiracy, owning Class II weapons without a license, and detonating destructive devices without a Federal number. Not all Vipers were charged with all counts; some, such as Ellen Belliveau and Donna Williams-Knight, were only charged with conspiracy.

The trial of the remaining two Vipers, Chuck Knight and Chris Floyd, has been moved to June 3, because Mr. Floyd's lawyer suffered two heart attacks just prior to the previous trial date. Mr. Floyd has since obtained another lawyer.

Though Judge Carroll said he would place all of the Vipers except Rick Walker and Walter Sanville in Arizona prisons so they could be close to their families (Rick Walker is being sent to a "medical prison" near Dallas, Walter Sanville requested Colorado), the Bureau of Prisons, or someone above them, decided to send all of the Vipers out of the state of Arizona. The judge also said that the Belliveaus would go to the same prison to facilitate family visits; they are being sent to two different prisons, 500 miles apart, in Texas.

In the interest of brevity, I shall list each of the ten with their sentences, together with the name or location of the prison. As far as I have been able to determine, the "special assessment" is a fund used for prosecutors' lunches.

• Hank Overturf: 12 months and 1 day, $100 special assessment, $1500 fine. Three years supervised release with 80 hours community service per year, Seagoville, Texas.
• Scott Shero: 24 months, $100 special assessment, $1500 fine, same probationary terms.
• Walter Sanville: 37 months on each count, served concurrently, $300 special assessment, $2,500 fine, same probation but must refrain from alcohol and do drug tests, Littleton, Colorado, near Denver.
• Donna Williams- Knight: 12 months and 1 day, $100 special assessment, $1,500 fine, same probation, Dublin, California, near Oakland.
• Ellen Belliveau: 37 months on 2 counts to serve concurrently, $100 special assessment, fine waived, same probation, Carswell AFB (converted), near Waco, Texas.
• David Belliveau: 57 months on 3 counts, served concurrently, $300 special assessment, fine waived, same probation, Big Spring, Texas.
• Gary Bauer: 108 months, $15,000 fine, same probation, Sheridan, OR, 60 miles south of Portland.
• Rick Walker: 5 years, 10 months, fine waived, same probation, near Dallas.
• Randy Nelson: 5 years, 10 months, $2,500 fine, same probation, Bastrop, Texas.

Dean Pleasant was sentenced on April 2, 2 weeks after everyone else, receiving 60 months on 1 charge of conspiracy and 1 of destructive devices, plus 71 months on the weapons charge, served concurrently, $300 special assessment, $1,500 fine, same probation, Lompoc, California. He is appealing the sentence.

Anyone wishing to write to Dean may contact him at the following address: Dean Carl Pleasant, #42227008, B2W29U, 3600 Guard Rd., Lompoc, CA 93436.

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