U.S. Marshal: Convicted tax evaders arrested

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The U.S. Marshals Service says a couple convicted of tax evasion were arrested peacefully at their Plainfield, New Hampshire home last night after holing up at the fortress-like compound for months.

Ed and Elaine Brown were convicted on federal tax charges in January and refused to turn themselves in to authorities when they were sentenced in April to five years and three months in prison.

It was not immediately clear how they were taken into custody.

U.S. Marshal Stephen Monier plans to hold a news conference today on the arrests. He says authorities had no indication that the Browns intended to voluntarily surrender, so they had to move forward with an operation that promised the safest possible outcome.

The Browns claimed the federal income tax is not legitimate.

Earlier this year, officials cut power and telephone service in an effort to ratchet up pressure on the couple convicted of scheming to avoid federal income taxes by hiding nearly two million dollars of income between 1996 and 2003.

After abandoning his federal trial and retreating to his home on 103 wooded acres, Ed Brown repeatedly said that any attempts to arrest him would result in a violent confrontation.

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