Inmate sentenced to 20 years in case linked to supremacists

The alleged founder of a white-supremacist prison organization pleaded guilty Wednesday to one federal count of racketeering and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

In an unannounced hearing before U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart, Tracy Swena appeared via closed-circuit video link from a federal facility outside the state to plead guilty to one count of racketeering in the formation of the violent, racist group. Shortly after, Stewart sentenced Swena to 20 years in federal prison.

Wednesday's conviction and sentencing marks a milestone in a campaign by federal prosecutors to use the federal racketeering law (RICO) to break up the members of the Soldiers of Aryan Culture, which had been a growing problem with in-prison drug dealing, attempted murder and other violence, according to officials with the Utah State Prison system.

In addition to pleading guilty, Swena admitted that he was primarily responsible for founding SAC in 1997. The organization is broken up into several rankings, such as "rooks" and "knights" with Swena on top as "general". Advancement in the group was gained by committing acts of violence against another inmate.

Several members of the group have been charged in prison attacks, including the stabbing of an inmate and prison guard. Last month another SAC member was indicted for stabbing a federal inmate inside a holding cell at the U.S. District Courthouse in Salt Lake City shortly after being sentenced. According to U.S. marshals, Lance Vanderstappen managed to conceal a homemade shank within a body cavity. Marshals suspect the only motive for the stabbing was that the victim was Hispanic.

U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said Wednesday's sudden hearing was indeed unusual; however, it was conducted via remote camera out of security concerns and due to the group's history for violence. Last December, members were involved in a courtroom brawl with court security before a judge.

"There were general issues concerning security," Rydalch said.

There have also been past reports of those representing SAC of threatening prosecutors and others related to the case.

Around a dozen prison inmates were indicted under the federal racketeering statute. Rydalch said so far eight have pleaded guilty to charges, including fellow "general" and brother Steve Mark Swena, with four more pending.

Fellow SAC member, Mark Isaac Snarr, is scheduled for sentencing in federal court today, with another member possibly entering a guilty plea as early as Monday.

Rydalch said the purpose of the charges against high-ranking members of the organization was to scatter them to the corners of the federal penal system with the intent to break up their organization.

---

E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com