They call themselves sovereign citizens. They claim they’re not subject to state or federal laws. And every so often, one of them makes headlines—usually after an encounter with law enforcement. In Florida, these self-proclaimed “freemen” are part of a movement that’s less about organized ideology and more about a tangled mess of internet-fueled legal theories.
One of the most visible recent cases happened in Volusia County, where a man named Earl Myers, also known by his alias “Waya El Calian,” became a repeat offender in just ten days. Sheriff Mike Chitwood has taken to calling him the “Sovereign Clown.”
“I hear that and the hair on the back of your neck stands up,” Chitwood said, referring to any encounter involving someone claiming sovereign citizen status. “It’s not a regular car stop.”
The First Stop: Fake Plates and Big Claims
Myers was first pulled over on April 24, 2025, after deputies noticed he was driving a car bearing a license plate labeled “DOT Exempt” and tagged “PR1V4T3.” When deputies asked for a driver’s license, registration, and insurance, Myers refused, insisting he was “traveling” and not operating under the jurisdiction of state law.
Deputies soon found out Myers was driving an unregistered vehicle without a license—and that he had a semi-automatic handgun and marijuana in his possession. Both are illegal for Myers, who is a convicted felon. He was arrested and later released on bond.
The Sequel: Same Car, Same Claims, Same Results
On May 4—just ten days later—deputies spotted the same vehicle with the same counterfeit plate. Again, Myers refused to comply. This time, officers had to break the driver’s side window to forcibly remove him from the car.
He was charged again—this time with possession of a counterfeit license plate, driving without a license, operating an unregistered vehicle, and resisting without violence. He also picked up citations for window tint violations and failing to provide documentation.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, they’ve asked that Myers be held without bond, citing a concern that his behavior could escalate into violence.
The Bigger Picture: What Is the Sovereign Citizen Movement?
The sovereign citizen movement is a loosely organized and widely misunderstood ideology. It includes people from all walks of life who share one core belief: that U.S. laws, courts, and taxes don’t apply to them. Many reject the legitimacy of driver’s licenses, license plates, and even currency, arguing they never consented to government authority.
Most of their “legal knowledge” comes from questionable sources—YouTube videos, fringe websites, and pseudolegal documents passed around in online echo chambers. These ideas aren’t grounded in actual law, but followers often believe them wholeheartedly.
Encounters with sovereign citizens range from peaceful refusals to cooperate all the way to dangerous standoffs. In 2024, Florida law enforcement agencies reported a record number of violent incidents involving self-identified sovereign citizens, including attempts to breach secure areas and at least two shootouts with sheriff’s deputies in different counties.
A Growing Concern For Law Enforcement
For police and sheriff’s deputies, traffic stops involving sovereign citizens are never routine. Officers are now trained to recognize the signs: fake plates, unusual paperwork, and odd verbal responses like “I do not consent” or “Am I being detained?”
“It’s not just a quirky legal belief. These people genuinely believe they are above the law,” Chitwood said. “And that makes them unpredictable and, sometimes, dangerous.”
Most encounters with sovereign citizens don’t involve violence, though some have, and the potential is always there. One thing they all have in common though, is that their misguided legal theatrics will almost always land them in jail over what otherwise may have been a minor incident such as a traffic citation. Most of their “legal education” comes from friends, social media, and other internet resources masked as authoritative legal sites. None the less, their beliefs are deeply held, and those deep belief systems are part of what lands them on counter terrorism watch and watchdog lists all over the world.
Final Thoughts: A Movement Built on Misinformation
While most sovereign citizen encounters end peacefully, they almost always end in handcuffs—especially when someone refuses to obey simple traffic laws. What might have been a minor citation becomes a laundry list of charges, all because of a refusal to recognize the authority of the state.
The movement’s beliefs are deeply held, even if they’re based on misinformation. That level of conviction is exactly why many sovereign citizens find themselves flagged on law enforcement watch lists and counter-terrorism radars—not necessarily for what they’ve done, but for what they might be willing to do.
In the end, the story of Earl Myers—the self-styled “sovereign”—is less about ideology and more about consequence. And if his recent arrests show anything, it’s that no matter what you believe, claiming to be above the law doesn’t make it true.
Let’s suppose for the sake of discussion that sovereign citizenship is legitimate. (It’s not, but let’s pretend.) Like any other “visitor” to a foreign nation, they are subject to the host nation’s laws. SC is irrelevant in that case. Moreover, as sovereign, are they not subject to deportation? After all, if an American were to visit the UK and commit a serious offense, that person would be subject to the penalties and would probably get tossed out of the country ASAP.