Judge rejects religious argument | Western Colorado | gjsentinel.com

A Grand Junction man is facing up to 30 years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of multiple fraud-related charges Thursday evening.

Rocky Hutson was convicted of multiple fraud-related counts after a June 2016 indictment stemming from an FBI-headed investigation, which also resulted in several other arrests.
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FBI investigators have described Hutson as a sovereign citizen. Members of the loosely organized movement generally don't recognize federal or state government authority.

Hutson's conviction on all counts followed a midtrial ruling by U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger that he could not use as a shield the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Carbondale-based defense attorney Ashley Petrey said in an interview Friday her client's beliefs are sincere, if "odd and unpopular."

"He truly believes these theories about the United States government, and he does treat it like his religion," Petrey said. "It's very intertwined with God and who created man. … He should be entitled to practice those beliefs."

Krieger ruled that Hutson's beliefs about the corruption of the U.S. government — while sincere — weren't religious.

U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Jeff Dorschner wrote in an email Friday that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is an important tool for protecting religious beliefs.

"Here, having anti-government beliefs, according to the court, is not a protected religious belief," he wrote.

Judge rejects religious argument | Western Colorado | gjsentinel.com