Kroenke no longer with Corrections Department

Associated Press/March 27, 2003

Cheyenne, Wyo. -- Thomas Kroenke, the Wyoming leader of the white supremacist Church of the Creator , is no longer employed by the state Department of Corrections, officials said Thursday.

Kroenke, who took over day-to-day operations when the group moved its world headquarters to Riverton in December, was a caseworker and manager at the Wyoming Honor Farm. He has lived in Riverton for three years and said he has no plans to leave.

Corrections spokeswoman Melinda Brazzale would not say why Kroenke was terminated, but said his last day on the job was Dec. 31. Kroenke said litigation prevented him from providing further details.

''Security is very important, so anything that would jeopardize security would be of concern, just in general,'' Brazzale said. ''But, specifically to him, I do not know.''

On his Web site, Kroenke has claimed he became a follower of the group, formerly known as the World Church of the Creator, after hearing about it from an inmate.