Florida man gets 40 years for fake legal filings

Associated Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Florida man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for filing numerous fake legal documents against public officials.

Lee County court records show that 45-year-old Randal Rosado was sentenced Friday. He was convicted in July of six counts of unlawful retaliation against public officials and 13 counts of simulating the legal process.

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Authorities say Rosado created his own court and then filed arrest warrants, fictitious court orders and liens against real judges, the Lee County Clerk of Court and several lawyers. Many of the fake filings were related to foreclosures.

Prosecutors say Rosado's views are consistent with the sovereign citizen movement.

Sovereign citizens believe they are separate or “sovereign” from the U.S. government, even though they physically reside in the country. They generally believe they don’t have to answer to any government authority, including courts and taxing entities.