Richmond — A suburban Richmond man accused of conspiring to rob a jeweler to raise money to buy weapons and train for a race war waived his preliminary hearing in federal court today and was ordered held because of his prior criminal record and association with the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist group.
Charles D. Halderman, 30, who has lived in Chesterfield County and Colonial Heights, is the third of three defendants linked by the government to an extremist plot to buy firearms and explosives from undercover FBI agents posing as illegal arms dealers. The weapons were to be used to shoot or bomb the occupants of synagogues and black churches, authorities allege.
During a five-minute proceeding today in U.S. District Court, U.S. Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young found probable cause that Halderman committed the offense for which he is charged after the defendant waived his preliminary hearing. Co-defendants Robert C. Doyle, 34, of Chesterfield and Ronald Beasley Chaney III, 33, of Henrico County, waived their preliminary hearings on Thursday and were ordered held without bond.
As he did with Doyle and Chaney, the judge declined to set conditions for Halderman's release, noting his extensive criminal record that includes convictions for malicious and unlawful wounding and numerous probation violations for crimes committed in Chesterfield. Young also cited Halderman's "criminal association" with the Aryan Brotherhood and the risk he may pose to the community.
All three defendants' cases will now be referred to a U.S. District Court grand jury for indictment, which may consider the charges Dec. 1.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey did not introduce any new evidence and defense attorney George A. Townsend IV did not challenge the government's accusations at this early stage in the case.
The government's criminal complaint against Halderman suggests he was recruited by Doyle and Chaney to assist in their white supremacy plot by robbing a jeweler to raise funds for the cause.
The affidavit says in recorded meetings with Doyle in October, Doyle outlined a series of plans that he and his associates wanted to carry out in furtherance of their extremist beliefs, which included robbing and killing a local silver and jewelry dealer, robbing an armored car and "doing harm to a gun store owner in Virginia."
Doyle planned to use the proceeds to "purchase land, stockpile weapons and train for the coming race war," the affidavit says.
Also in October, the government says, Doyle was recorded saying that Chaney and Halderman were involved in the plan to rob the jeweler, stating that Halderman "is just young and all [Doyle] has to do is put the tools in Halderman's hands."
Doyle added in the recorded conversation that Halderman "is a soldier and that if they come up with a concrete plan and tell Halderman what it is for, Halderman is game," according to the affidavit.
On Oct. 25, the affidavit says, Doyle met with two undercover FBI agents and discussed future precious metals purchases by Doyle.
Chaney arrived at the meeting but did not participate, the affidavit says, and Doyle purchased $200 worth of coins and placed an order for $50,000 in diamonds, $30,000 in gold and $20,000 in silver that Doyle was to be paid by Doyle and delivered the undercover agents at a later date. "During Doyle's interview, he stated there were hundreds of thousands of dollars of items in the jeweler's office," the affidavit stated.
The jewelry store is mentioned again during an FBI recorded session on Nov. 2, the affidavit says. Halderman engaged in the discussion about the jeweler and stated his only problem with the robbery plan is that he didn't have a pistol. "Halderman said that he is hungry and is a soldier."
In testimony during Doyle's and Chaney's detention hearings Thursday, FBI Special Agent James R. Rudisill said that after Doyle answered a jeweler's ad on Craigslist, an undercover agent posed as the jeweler in an effort to protect him.
Rudisill also testified that Doyle said in recorded conversations that he and his associates planned to shoot the jeweler in the face using a handgun with a silencer, and then dispose of his body.
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