Fugitive pleads guilty to evasion of prison

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

A man who eluded police and federal authorities for 10 years has pleaded guilty in federal court to intentionally failing to show up as promised to begin a prison sentence.

Nathan K. Brown, 49, pleaded guilty Friday.

He was sentenced in 1991 to 78 months in federal prison for leading a tax-protest conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo Jr. said Brown and others were convicted of harassing public officials and judges and filing false tax returns seeking approximately $5 million in returns.

During his trial, Brown said he was a citizen of the Kingdom of Hawai'i and therefore immune from state and federal laws.

He was allowed to remain free on bail pending appeal, but after the conviction was upheld, Brown failed to appear Nov. 17, 1993, to begin serving his prison sentence.

Brown was arrested in March after he was discovered living on the Big Island. He now faces an additional five-year prison term when he is sentenced March 18 on the failure-to-appear charge.

In the 1990s, Brown was at the center of criminal charges against longtime sovereignty activist Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, once considered the most militant in the sovereignty movement.

Kanahele was charged with blocking police from arresting Brown in Hau'ula in January 1994 and interfering with U.S. marshals trying to arrest Brown at Kanahele's home in Waimanalo two months later.

Kanahele was sentenced in February 1998 to four months in prison and four months home detention for interfering with Brown's arrest.

Reach David Waite at 525-8030 or dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.