Accused Local Terrorists Set For Trial in September

By Charlie Bauder, WNEG Radio, Toccoa

A federal judge has set another new trial date for the two Toccoa men charged in an alleged plot to attack the U.S. government.

In documents filed July 15,  Samuel J. Crump and Ray H. Adams, both of Toccoa, are now set to go to trial on September 23 in U.S. District Court in Gainesville before Judge Richard W. Story.

The two were scheduled to go on trial earlier this month but it was continued for a second time.  The trial was originally set for last February before.

Adams and Crump are charged with conspiring to possess and produce the biological toxin ricin and attempted production of ricin.   Authorities say the pair had planned to spread the ricin across metro Atlanta whiled driving on the Interstates there.

They were arrested back in November 2011 along with two other men, Dan Roberts of Toccoa and Frederick Thomas of Cleveland.

According to federal authorities, the four men were charged with being part of a fringe militia group that was planning attacks against citizens, government officials, and the federal government in the metro Atlanta area and in Washington, DC.

In April 2012, Roberts and Thomas each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain an unregistered explosive device and silencer.

They were each sentenced to five years in federal prison back in August 2012.  FBI agents were in Stephens County earlier this month, reportedly conducting a search warrant at Adams’ home.  No word on what agents were looking for.