Two arrested for filing false leins

Etowah county authorities have arrested and charged two people with felonies for placing false liens on public officials.  71 year old Everett Leon Stout, of St. Clair County and  66 year old Miriam Clare Shultz, of  Marshall County have Both been charged with two counts of offering a false instrument for record.  The false liens were filed against a federal judge, a federal probation officer, a circuit clerk and a municipal prosecutor. They were recorded in Etowah County’s circuit clerk’s and probate judge’s offices.  Sheriff Todd Entrekin said  These types of false recordings have the potential to ruin public officials’ lives and that he will not allow this to happen in Etowah County, and will prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of the law.  Officials said filing false liens is a hallmark of the sovereign citizens movement whose members believe they are not subject to state or federal laws, especially taxes. Officials said tactics such as filing false liens are referred to as “paper terrorism.”

Stout and Shultz are being held in the Etowah County Detention Center on $200,000 cash bond each.