You know about Kent Hovind (a/k/a “Dr. Dino”). Wikipedia describes Hovind’s conviction for tax evasion. He’s a martyr to two different groups of people, and his behavior suggests a certain similarity between them — see Creationists and Tax Protesters.
That’s old news. But a few months ago we wrote about the possibility of even new criminal charges — see More Troubles for Kent Hovind? Now those threatened new troubles seem to be happening. At the Forbes website we found this headline: Government Coming Down Harder On Kent Hovind.
After a long summary of Hovind’s beliefs and creationist activities, including his Dinosaur Adventureland theme park (which was seized by the IRS to pay for back taxes), they say, with bold font added by us:
Hovind now faces mail fraud charges in connection with the lis pendens filing on the real estate that the government had seized. Included in the indictment is John Paul Hansen, who seems to have been providing the “expertise” in these matters.
They give this link to the text of the indictment. It’s fun reading — if you’re in the mood. Hovind and his attorney were indicted for trying to interfere with the government’s sale of the property that the IRS had previously seized, in proceedings Hovind had previously contested. Then Forbes says:
It may be that Hansen is the primary target here.
That’s possible. They quote from Hansen’s blog:
I file no Federal Income Taxes (1040 Form) since the year 2000. … I believe I have discovered a “filing for record” process that takes my Land off the tax roles. … I am a sovereign American by birth right. (Not a US citizen.) I believe in full support of the “perpetual Union” as found in the second of four constitutions, “Articles of Confederation”. I have discovered that a “free American” has the lawful standing to choose to live independent of the corporate US governments, and its legislative statutory courts in the vast majority of his daily life, and to be forced to do otherwise is slavery.
Hovind seems to have teamed up with the right adviser. Back to Forbes:
… Kent Hovind’s troubles are pretty much of his own making. YEC supporters have encouraged Kent to stop fighting the IRS so he can focus his energy on “creation science”. Eric Hovind is following in his dad’s footsteps in arguing against evolution, but is not a chip off the old block when it comes to tax compliance.
[…]
With that said I really question the judgement of the government in going after Kent for making one more stupid filing. Frankly, if I was on the jury, they might have a hard time getting a conviction. There is stupid and stubborn and there is criminal. Plenty of tax related crime to fight elsewhere. If Hovind is convicted, he will seem like a martyr. If he is acquitted, it will look like a victory for tax defiers.
The author of the Forbes article, Peter J Reilly, seems sympathetic to Hovind. Well, no one ever cheers for the IRS, but still — until the laws are changed we have to pay taxes. The feds don’t need to worry about turning Hovind into a martyr — he’s already a martyr, but that viewpoint is limited to creationists. And if he’s somehow not convicted on these new charges, it won’t encourage anyone but lunatics to “go Hovind” in their dealings with the IRS.
And now, as an extra treat, WorldNetDaily (WND) has an article about Hovind’s plight: Imprisoned creationist faces new charges. We’ll let you read it, but here are a couple of excerpts to get you to click over there:
Only months away from being released to a halfway house after nearly eight years in prison, the popular creation-science lecturer and theme-park creator known as Dr. Dino is facing new charges in his tax-related case. A federal court Monday in Pensacola, Florida, scheduled a trial to begin Dec. 1 for Kent Hovind, founder of Creation Science Evangelism and Dinosaur Adventure Land, on mail-fraud charges in connection with court filings on land seized by the federal government in his case.
WND gives us a better link to the indictment than the one from Forbes. Here’s one more excerpt from their article:
Kent Hovind’s son, Eric Hovind, who now directs a ministry in Pensacola with the same mission of his father’s Creation Science Evangelism, contends the government misrepresented his parents in the 2006 trial, portraying them as anti-government radicals. “If there is one thing I can say about my dad, it is that he is a man of principle, and it is an honor for me to support him as he goes through these trials,” Eric Hovind told WND Monday.
This is exciting. We’ll soon have another trial to write about — one that will capture the attention of not only creationists, but also tax protesters. But we’re worried, because there is great danger here. The volume of drool that is likely to result from the combined anti-science and anti-law movements may be enough to destroy the Earth in another Deluge.
Copyright © 2014. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
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The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
So the IRS should just let him get away with bvreaking the law, because he claims the Constitution doesn’t apply to him, only theArticles of Confederation?
Hovind, and those like him, should walk carefully on that ground. They might be worse off if their claims were accepted than if, as is far more likely, they were laughed out of court, because if they are not recognized as citizens under the Constitution the Bill of Rights may not apply to them as it does to others.
And if I were Eric Hovind, I’d be careful as well about announcing a willingness to sabotage a felony trial by guaranteeing a hung jury. At best, such statements would be used by any prosecutor to keep him off the panel.
Kent Hovind managed to commit more felonies while in prison? A talented guy.
So glad to hear that Hovind is a man of principle who breaks tax laws, not an anti-government radical who does. Because that makes all the difference, doesn’t it?
Empirical evidence that the minds of creationists are not right. And any of these sovereign types are selfish freeloaders above all else. So they screw society’s perception of science, and they screw society’s social compact. What moral-less weasels!
Howind will no doubt milk this for all it’s worth as “viewpoint discrimination” and proof that the “Darwinist conspiracy” wants him safely tucked away, well out of reach of his slobbering sycophants. Should he be found guilty, what is the sentence likely to be? (As I understand it, mail fraud is a fairly serious crime.)
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Curmy, “The author of the Forbes
artickearticle, Peter J Reilly…”Thanks, Con-Tester. Typo fixed.
Hovind and his wife, Jo, were both convicted of many counts of tax fraud. Jo served a year in the slammer. Hovind’s defense was that he was not subject to laws because he worked for God, or something like that. Even so, he kept the proceeds from Dino Adventure Land under the radar by making deposits to the bank in less than reportable sums (less than $10,000).
From prison Hovind tried to obstruct the government sale of confiscated property by filing false lien notices through his co-consipirator, Hansen, who, like Hovind, is a fellow anti-government kook. For years these two have used the thoroughness of the courts to delay, delay, delay in hopes that the government might eventually give up. Maybe they’ll get to share a cell.
Hovind is a first class idiot who deserves to be in jail and the longer he stays there the happier I will be. I realize that Hambo is every bit as wacky as Hovind on issues of science but Hovind is more dangerous.
Hovind not only preaches idiotic ideas pertaining to science but is also a career criminal who is also in cahoots with people like Hansen that push an agenda that would destroy the United States as a secular society. Hovind and Hansen proudly proclaim how they pay no taxes and when the government takes legal action against their admitted criminal behavior they act like they are the most unjustly persecuted people on Earth.
Hovind has been behind bars for eight years now and if he had any brains would be free in less than a year. However, he has not only shown no remorse for his past crimes but has teamed up with criminals like Hansen to break even more laws while in prison. I hope they both get the 20 year maximum sentence for mail fraud.
I had a recent encounter with one of Hovind’s apologists who, like Hovind, misrepresented the “structuring” issues relevant to Hovind’s criminal convictions.
As a result, I have an outstanding proposal to engage in a somewhat formal discussion of that issue should any Hovind apologist wish to come out and take up a position contrary to my own.
Here’s the proposition, subject to negotiations:
Withdrawing less than $10,000 in a single transaction
with the intent to evade bank reporting requirements
is a violation of the law and regulations and was at
the time of the Hovind withdrawals in question and
was the legal standard used to convict Kent Hovind
of “structuring”.
– Robert Baty: Affirm
– Any Hovind Apologist: (To Affirm or Deny)
Once a proposition might be agreed upon, other appropriate logistical details can, hopefully, be resolved and the discussion can be advanced.
(P.S. Interestingly, you might notice references to me in the Forbes’ reporting on the Hovind cases, but I don’t think I was mentioned in the WND report; though I did post a couple of notes following the WND article.)
The Forbes article does not make the obvious connection between the delusion of creationism and the delusion of the tax protester. In the schema in Hovind’s mind he has convinced himself that his brand of young earth creationism is correct and that he shouldn’t have to pay taxes. Creationists are always positing that believing in “molecules to man” evolution doesn’t effect a person’s scientific productivity, and to some extent they may be correct. The same can not be said of avoiding taxes.
I always figured Hovind’s sentence is way way to long, but to some degree the sentence isn’t to teach the unteachable Hovind (though it did teach his son and wife!) no the sentence is a warning to others who would follow that path.
Should Hovind get more time? He certainly is guilty so yes, tack on another 6 months to a year.
What was it Jesus said in the response to a question about whether Jews should pay taxes to Rome? As I recall, his answer was “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”…
It’s amazing how selective YECs and other fundamentalists are in reading their bibles.
Sounds like Dr. Dino’s adviser is one of those freeman on the land loonies.
Hovind has in the past told his followers that his time in prison is actually a “great blessing” because “It gives me lots of free time to earn several more PhDs!”
So, SC, don’t leave us in suspense: Are the new indictments likely to double the number of doctorates which Hovind presently holds? (Yes, I realize that 0x2=0.) And could you send out your crack team of investigators so as to report back to us the titles of his dissertations (and where we can order copies) and the names of the “scholars” on Hovind’s various dissertation committees?
Inquiring minds want to know.
When it comes to Hovind’s biggest bloopers and penchant for choosing very poor strategies, it is hard to top what Dr. Dino did the night before his final sentencing in his tax fraud trial: Mr. Fossil-Brain himself thought it wise to make threats of physical retribution against the judge during a jailhouse telephone conversation—-all of which are routinely recorded by law enforcement officials. So the following day at his final sentencing, the relevant audio excerpt was played for the entire courtroom to enjoy.
Several attorneys have told me that Hovind’s exasperating, defy-the-system and irritate-the-judge courtroom saga is sure to be a textbook example for years to come of everything a guilty defendant should do to ensure a maximum sentence.
Just how ridiculous is Kent Hovind? He is so shameful that a very large percentage of YECs will do anything to avoid answering my questions about him. But the other YECs think him the ultimate martyr for the cause. What were the chances that Eric Hovind would not be afflicted similarly. I’m neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet but I predict that eventually Eric Hovind will write a tedious testimonial tribute and publish his “Life With My Dad, Dr. Dino” as part of a special offer for donors to his legal defense fund. (I will also admit, that I will try to find a way to get a copy of it. As with driving by an accident scene, I can’t help but look.)
Professor Tertius demands: “So, SC, don’t leave us in suspense: Are the new indictments likely to double the number of doctorates which Hovind presently holds?”
My lips are sealed. Only Hovind can reveal that information. You’ll have to wait for his triumphant return.
Troy: “Should Hovind get more time? He certainly is guilty so yes, tack on another 6 months to a year.”
This could be an inspired way for the government to get away with “cruel and unusual punishment” that Hovind so richly deserves — just as Hovind is nearing the end of his current sentence, bring new charges that will result in an additional prison term. Then, as that additional sentence is coming to an end, bring additional charges, and so on and so forth. Like the poor shlep in the Kingston Trio’s song, he will truly be “the man who never returned”.
I think Kent may be wanting to emulate one of his heroes, Irwin Schiff and maybe out do him.
I think Schiff has gone in and out and in to federal custody and his latest release date, if memory serves me correctly, is when he is 85 years old.
Professor Tertius makes a good point. Hovind supporters no doubt think his draconian sentence is the atheistic federal government trying to suppress their hero. The reality is Hovind’s obstinate behavior is the only reason his sentence is so long.
RSG-My impression isn’t a longer Hovind sentence, they want to cut a deal to take down his advisor. The question is will Hovind be obstinate or will he play ball? Hovind calls his incarceration a blessing… but I bet he’ll cooperate on this one.
You cannot go to halfway house if you have a mental illness, which Kent most obviously has.
I have been suggesting that Kent undergo a mental evaluation as part of the present trial preparations.
I think he may have, at a minimum, Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
That could help explain much of his behavior but would not, in my opinion, excuse such behavior as far as the law is concerned.
Being a Baptist preacher, I can see where Hovind might want to fight any suggestion of a mental evaluation.
The same goes for his wife. Who knows what kind of shape, mentally, she may be in after the last 8 years and Kent and his people have a vested interest in keeping her under wraps. She may need some real help that she is not getting and if she’s getting some it is being kept secret.
@Ed:
No, it’s not amazing. It’s not even surprising. Someone (Mark Twain?) said something like “they think the bible is full of good things that their neighbors ought to be practicing.”
RB> “I think he (Hovind) may have, at a minimum, Narcissistic Personality Disorder.”
Gee, that would come as a total surprise. Said no one. Ever.