The Strange Case of Matt DeHart And The BOP — Restore His Freedom

Take a moment to contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons and ask them to restore his credited 18 months time for Canada, unjustifiably taken away.

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Matt DeHart was at home in September 2009, when he received an urgent message from a friend on his computer saying that someone had uploaded anonymously a folder with files to his server called The Shell. It is believed that the files were destined to WikiLeaks, and it would detail the CIA’s role in assigning drone targets at the 181 st. Intelligence Wing in Terre Haute, Indiana, a military unit where Matt was assigned to, for working as an intelligence analyst. This military unit is believed to have collected and analyzed data from drones sent to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Matt DeHart would be detained by Immigration’s and Customs Enforcement for “questioning in an espionage matter.” in Calais, Maine, at the border of Canada. Almost one year later, when crossing the border to renew his student visa, and on the same day, August 6, 2010, nearly two years after an alleged misconduct i.e. a toilet-papering prank viewed as mild vandalism back in Tennessee. Detective Brett A. Kniss filled a criminal complaint on child pornography, based on falsified chat logs, included in classified reports which were never made available to the public, in order to have him arrested.

Matt DeHart had been honorably discharged from the Air National Guard 181 st. Intelligence Wing in June of 2009. It was clear, they were aware of his connections, and activities within the hacktivist group Anonymous, which he became involved with for various reasons, including disappointment with the publicly disclosed CIA’s engagement in secret drone strikes that targeted civilians. Furthermore, as an intelligence analyst he was aware of the capabilities of the intelligence community which could undermine privacy, prior to Edward Snowden’s revelations.

"Part of my job with Anonymous, was I helped people communicate securely. I would protect people from NSA spying."
Matt DeHart

Next, Matt DeHart would try to start over. He moved to Montreal, Canada, applied and obtained a student visa, enrolled in French at a French language school, and soon after he would start welding classes at Holland College.

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How the FBI tortured Matt DeHart following his arrest at the border:

FBI agents took Matt DeHart to a room without windows.
They put him in a dentist’s chair, and drugged him with an IV.
They interrogated him without a lawyer.
They taunted him by saying “They knew he was not guilty of child porn.”
They forced Matt DeHart to say that he wanted to sell military secrets at a Russian embassy in Canada, instead of asking for asylum.
They also forced Matt DeHart to say that other soldiers were involved.
They questioned him about Anonymous and WikiLeaks.
They put him in the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor, Maine.
Matt DeHart collapsed in jail.
An ambulance took him to Eastern Maine Medical Center.
Matt DeHart was diagnosed with acute psychosis, tachycardia, tremors, and bilateral eye irritation.
The medical records state that: the “Patient’s acute psychosis associated with his tachycardia and tremors is most * consistent with possible drug-induced psychosis such as secondary to amphetamines. cocaine, or other stimulant medications”. A urine drug scree confirmed the presence of amphetamines in his system.
Matt DeHart was called a “paranoid and delusional with an idea of the FBI monitoring him and accusing him of * espionage”.
They Medical Center put Matt DeHart in the FBI’s hands again.
They questioned him for two weeks, without counsel or lawyer, and also tortured him in various ways.
Matt DeHart was left in a cell, naked.
There was no sink, no toilet, and no food or water.
Matt DeHart was forced to take pills with Kool-Aid everyday.
Medical records from the jail show that he was administered the psychotropic drug Thorazine.
His family was unable to contact him on the phone.
The FBI took over his online aliases.
The FBI went after Anonymous, again.

Judge Margaret Kravchuk raised questions about the case, calling it “odd” for various reasons, and ordered him to Nashville for pre-trial detention.

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At Nashville, Tennessee, Matt DeHart awaited trial, until his detention review hearing in May 2012, almost two years following the torture at the border. Judge Aleta A. Trauger reviewed the classified reports on the child porn charges, and release Matt DeHart to his parents on bond. He would remain with his parents for the next year, under curfew, wearing a security bracelet on his ankle. There were several delays on his case, as it is usual before every trial in the U.S., and he felt pressured to take a plea deal, he would refuse, in consequence Matt DeHart cut off his security bracelet in April 2013.

Matt DeHart then crossed the border to Canada, again, and asked for political asylum under the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
The Canadian authorities received two encrypted thumb drives with hundreds of screenshots of documents from him in support of his claim.

Matt DeHart remained under house arrest in Canada, until he was forced to move out prior to reporting properly to authorities, and as a consequence sent back to prison. Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board concluded that there was no evidence for the child porn charges and there were significant differences in the chat logs provided by Detective Brett A. Kniss and those provided by Matt DeHart. However, the board concluded that the United States had a fair and independent judicial process, and Matt DeHart was deported back to the United States for pre-trial detention.

It concluded with a hearing on February 22, 2016.

In the following video, you can see the bureaucratic nightmare that cost Matt DeHart his liberty for 18 months, and his family $10,000 CAD.

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Matt DeHart was one year out from release, earlier in 2017, but according to a memo he received from the BOP center in Texas, someone had started an investigation into his previous Canadian incarceration, and also lied by stating that Matt DeHart had asked for the investigation. Leann DeHart, his mother, as she wrote on her blog, is clear that Matt DeHart’s time was already calculated at sentencing, on her own words right bellow:

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Matt has just had his credited 18 months time for Canada unjustifiably taken away.

Now, I ask you why when his counselor told him he was a model prisoner and a candidate for home confinement would Matt question his credited time he already received? Especially when prisoners are not allowed to submit their own documents.
I hope everyone sees this is about duplicity and vindictiveness because it was never about false child porn charges.
This is cruel and inhumane, but I believe I am already preaching to the choir. We know why the system is broken.
My son is going to need good legal help. I’m still waiting.

Leann DeHart (August 24, 2017)

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Matt sent his final remedy with clear evidence that his time was wrongly revoked. The paper work reached the DC office on November 21st. The paperwork is supposed to be sent in 4 copies. Matt noted that exhibit 14 was the original computation for which the BOP already has access to. He did not staple it to the original package but sent a second package with a letter stating that this exhibit belonged with the first package. Honestly, it really shouldn’t have been necessary because as I said the BOP already has the computation sheet.

I have to tell you that I am weary. The sadness I feel in my soul can’t be put into words.

Leann DeHart (January 11, 2018)

The content of the documents uploaded to Matt DeHart’s server, called The Shell, is better described in the emptywheel’s blog, where you can read more about it.
Is Matt DeHart Being Prosecuted Because FBI Investigated CIA for the Anthrax Leak?

Furthermore, you can read an interview on the alleged CIA involvement in the 2001 anthrax attacks.
Alleged CIA Involvement In 2001 Anthrax Attacks

The mail address of Matt DeHart is right below, take a moment to contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons and ask them to restore his credit for the 18 months he was arrested in Canada, unjustifiably taken away.

Matthew Paul DeHart #06813–036
FCI Ashland
Federal Correctional Institution
PO Box 6001
Ashland
KY 41105