U.S. v. Wise, 221 F.3d 140 (5th Cir. 2000) * Facts:
John Cain met employee Oliver Dean Emigh (“Emigh”) and owner John Roberts at the Bargain Barn in March of 1998. John Cain (“Cain”) was a self-employed computer consultant. John Roberts (“Roberts”) explained to Cain that he needed documents typed for Republic of Texas (“ROT”) legal matters due to being a member of the ROT. Cain met with Johnie Wise and Roberts the next day at the Bargain Barn to discuss computer related topics. Cain became worried about Roberts, ROT affiliation when he went to work for Roberts on a daily basis. Cain told the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about Roberts’ request for secretarial assistance on ROT matters on March 10, 1998. The FBI confirmed Cain’s story by the information that they received through their investigation. Cain said he would contact FBI Agent David Church (“Agent Church”) with any additional information that he gathered. Cain informed Agent Church that Robert’s was asking him to run checks for outstanding warrants against ROT members at which time he advised him that running warrant checks was illegal. Agent Church told Cain that he should inform Roberts that it was illegal. Cain attended a ROT meeting after Agent Church told him to attend the meeting if he wanted. Jack Abbott Grebe Jr. (“Grebe”) visited Cain on a regular basis to make photocopies. Wise started coming with Grebe on these visits to Cain’s residence. Cain contacted Agent Church on March 24, 1998 to discuss talks of obtaining information on explosives from the internet. Cain mentioned that he felt that Roberts was trying to recruit him as a ROT member during the meeting. Cain informed Agent Church on April 29, 1998 that Wise and Grebe asked him to find e-mail addresses of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Drug Task Force (DEA), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), FBI, White House, United States Attorney General, Texas Attorney General, and Texas