Alleged White Supremacist Takes Plea

The Associated Press/November 27, 2002

Santa Ana , Calif. -- The alleged leader of California 's Aryan Nations chapter pleaded guilty Wednesday to perjury and gun-possession charges following a law enforcement effort targeting white supremacist groups.

Jack Frederick Steele II pleaded guilty to one felony count of perjury and one count of possessing a firearm with a prior conviction. Three felony counts of falsifying documents were dropped in the plea deal.

Steele was sentenced to 120 days in jail and forbidden from associating with white supremacists, attending extremist events or possessing extremist paraphernalia.

Authorities described Steele, 29, as the leader of California 's chapter of the Aryan Nations, a unit known as the Brandenburg Division.

During a search of Steele's house, authorities said they found a letter addressed to a white supremacist group advocating that the Aryan Nations align itself with Islamic extremists to target Jews and the U.S. government.

Two other white supremacists who face charges in the investigation were scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges of possessing bomb-making materials, though authorities say they knew of no specific plot.