Gun Rights Activists Sentenced

DEARBORN, MI — A pair of gun-rights activists arrested after a confrontation with officers inside the Dearborn Police Department in February were sentenced Friday. Wayne County Circuit Court Mariam Bazzi gave Brandon Vreeland a minimum of nine months in prison to a maximum of five years while James Baker was sentenced to nine months in prison, in the Wayne County Jail, and three years of probation.

On Feb. 5, the two men walked into the Dearborn Police Department with Baker carrying several weapons and Vreeland shooting video footage on a camera. A tense standoff followed with about a dozen officers finally subduing the men after threats, cursing and heated words were exchanged.

The incident was caused by an earlier traffic stop of the two men by Dearborn officers, the Detroit Free Press reported. Vreeland and Baker wanted to file a complaint about being pulled over, but also saw it as chance to test Dearborn officers, to see if they “honored” the Constitution and their right to carry guns, the newspaper reported.

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Baker, of Leonard, Michigan, was charged with two counts of carrying a concealed weapon and one count of brandishing firearms in public. Vreeland was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and disturbing the peace.

Last month, a Wayne County jury convicted Vreeland, of Jackson, of carrying a concealed weapon, felony resisting and opposing an officer, and disturbing the peace. Baker was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon.

A few days after the incident, Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad condemned the actions of Vreeland and Jackson. “I find this behavior totally unacceptable and irresponsible," he said in a statement. "This is not a 2nd Amendment issue for me. We had members of the public in our lobby that fled in fear for their safety as these men entered our building."

File photos