Alaska militia infiltrator exposed

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Editor's note: This is the first of a two part series on Gerald Olson, a government informant who has been helping the FBI in its case against the Alaska Peacemakers Militia. Today's story chronicles his past run-ins with the law and what he is getting in return for cooperating. On Wednesday night, Alaska Dispatch looks at Olson's connections to the militia and his role as an informant in the state-federal investigation.

PART I: As the state-federal case against a Fairbanks-based militia accused of plotting to murder government officials unfolds, a back story is emerging of two informants with eclectic backgrounds who played major roles in nabbing the suspects.

Much of what investigators know about Alaska Peacemakers Militia leader Schaeffer Cox’s alleged murder plans came from the two paid informants, who had been feeding authorities tips for at least 10 months prior to the March arrests of Cox and four others.

One of the informants was Bill Fulton, the owner of Drop Zone army surplus shop in Anchorage, an ex-military man who made national headlines when he handcuffed an Alaska Dispatch journalist during tea party candidate Joe Miller's failed run for U.S. Senate last fall.

The other informant, however, had remained a mystery to the public until Friday, when a state judge forced state prosecutors to unveil his role in the Alaska Peacemakers Militia investigation.

RELATED: Read more about the Alaska Peacemakers Militia and the investigation

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 05, 2011

Schaeffer Cox, founder of the Alaska Peacemakers Militia, is accused in an alleged conspiracy to kill a state judge and others. He faces conspiracy and weapons charges in state and federal court.

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 05, 2011

Schaeffer Cox in a Fairbanks courtroom on April 5, 2011

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 05, 2011

Michael Anderson is accused as a conspirator in an alleged plot to kill a state judge and others. Photographed in Fairbanks on April 5, 2011.

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 05, 2011

Lonnie Vernon faces multiple conspiracy and weapons charges in connection with alleged plots to murder state and federal judges and others. Photographed in Fairbanks on April 5, 2011.

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 05, 2011

Karen Vernon faces state and federal conspiracy and weapons charges in connection with alleged plots to murder state and federal judges and others. Photographed in Fairbanks on April 5, 2011.

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 19, 2011

Coleman Barney, accused in an alleged plot to kill a state judge and others, faces conspiracy and weapons charges in state and federal court. Photographed in Fairbanks on April 5, 2011.

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 19, 2011

Rachel Barney, charged in state court with helping hide a fugitive, in a Fairbanks courtroom April 5, 2011

Jill Burke photo

Photos: Alaska Militia

Apr 05, 2011

Judge David Stewart.

Jill Burke photo

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His name is Gerald "J.R." Olson. He has spent time in Palmer, Fairbanks and Delta Junction, and he has a criminal past, including crimes that he may be getting a break on in return for his cooperation in the militia probe.

Like Fulton, Olson had been feeding inside information on the militia to Alaska State Troopers and the FBI since at least last fall. Though Olson and Fulton crossed paths occasionally, they were unaware they had a common bond: pretending to be friendly with Cox and his anti-government cause. In reality, they were actually foes, helping the government infiltrate the young Alaska militia leader and his followers.

Known in court documents as "Confidential Source 1" (Olson) and "Confidential Source 2" (Fulton), those following the militia movement in Alaska took note when the two men seemingly dropped out of sight after the March arrests of five Alaska Peacemaker Militia members allegedly intent on bloodshed. Federal court documents detail an alleged plot by the militia group to kill judges and state troopers in the belief that no laws applied to them and that they had every right to use lethal force to defend their leader, Cox, who had gone missing at the start of his trial on a minor weapons charge.

On Friday, Olson was in Alaska Superior Court in Palmer defending himself against unrelated charges. Based on court filings in the militia case and details revealed during Friday's hearing, Olson's role as a cooperating witness against Cox and his group has been confirmed.

"Currently, CS-1 (Olson) is a convicted felon, and is facing pending Alaska State felony fraud charges and is cooperating with law enforcement with the hope of having his charges reduced or dismissed by the State of Alaska in exchange for his cooperation,” states a summary of the militia investigation filed in federal court.

Criminal acts and cutting confidential deals

As is typical in complex and secret government probes, the investigations often depend on informants, sometimes witnesses who themselves have rap sheets and motives to cooperate. It happened in the Justice Department's oil-political corruption probe, which rested largely on onetime oil tycoon Bill Allen. And in the Alaska Peacemaker Militia investigation, it also seems to be a case resting on the words and actions of two informants -- one whom has a criminal past of his own.