Sovereign Citizen Claims “I’m Not That Person” — Judge Reads Serious Felony Charges

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]But, I am the breathing, living entity before you here. I'm not that person on that piece of paper. Okay. And does this Does this living, breathing entity before me have a name?

[00:00:12]Welcome to Courtroom Secrets.

[00:00:14]Shawna Nickel, Your Honor? Okay.

[00:00:17][clears throat] >> It's Nickel.

[00:00:21]Okay.

[00:00:24]Well, now the state appears by Assistant County Attorney Mr. Gayoso for these informal first appearances.

[00:00:29]Good morning, you are Shawna Nickel?

[00:00:33]All right.

[00:00:33]It's Nickel.

[00:00:35]You are Ms. Nickel?

[00:00:37]I'm sorry, no. I'm not.

[00:00:39]>> You're Shawna Nickel? No. Oh.

[00:00:41]What's your first name? I'm I'm the living, breathing entity, the actual person that stands before you. All right. So, >> I'm not the straw man on any paper, any cap all caps person by any means.

[00:00:54]You don't have a name, a legal name?

[00:00:56]>> under under certain charges, yes, under that, but under just What would be the word? Under distress.

[00:01:03]Literally bringing me in here against my will. I mean, I didn't break any laws.

[00:01:07]And you were brought in under the name Shawna Nickel?

[00:01:11]No, I should not have been No, I was not. No. They decided what my name was before they ever wrote me out of the vehicle. They called me a name before I was ever able to give them a name.

[00:01:22]But, I am the breathing, living entity before you here. I'm not that person on that piece of paper. Okay. And does this Does this living, breathing entity before me have a name?

[00:01:31]Well, my mother calls me daughter.

[00:01:34]My father calls me daughter. My children call me mother.

[00:01:38]What is your legal name that you were given at birth?

[00:01:43]That I That's that straw man. That's I I'm sorry, I can't answer that question.

[00:01:47]I'm not going to answer any more questions. I haven't had the chance for a full call attorney, nothing. So, I'm not going to answer I can't answer any more questions. Here, the court lays down the charges in full force and the stakes are clear. From identity theft to driving while suspended and illegal registration, the severity of the situation hits hard. Every penalty is explained and you can almost feel the suspense building as the audience wonders how the defendant will react.

[00:02:14]It's a tense moment that highlights the seriousness of the law. All right, Deputy, based on your information, is that Shauna D. Nickel?

[00:02:21]Yes, Shauna.

[00:02:22]All right. Miss Nickel, uh you are appearing before me having been arrested on a couple matters. One is MGI an arrest warrant that was issued as a result of the state filing complaint information wherein you were charged with the following five counts. Count one is identity theft.

[00:02:43]It alleges on or about March 13, 2024 in Montgomery County, Kansas, that you unlawfully and feloniously used any personal identifying information or document containing the same belonging to or issued to another person to wit, Sherry D. Dodge, with the intent to defraud that person or anyone else to wit, Deputy Steve Gass, in order to receive any benefit.

[00:03:08]Identity theft as charged here is a level eight non-person felony. It carries a sentencing range of 7 to 23 months in prison, a fine up to $100,000 and 12 months post release supervision.

[00:03:20]Uh counts two, three, four, and five are also alleged to have occurred on or about March 13, 2024 in Montgomery County, Kansas.

[00:03:28]Count two is interference with law enforcement. It alleges that you unlawfully and knowingly obstructed, resisted, or opposed a person authorized by law to serve process to wit, Steve Gass, in the discharge of any official duty to wit, provided false information regarding the name and date of birth.

[00:03:43]That's a class A non-person misdemeanor, carries a penalty of up to 1 year in the county jail and/or fine up to $2,500.

[00:03:51]In count three, you're charged with driving while suspended, second offense.

[00:03:56]It is alleged that you unlawfully operated a motor vehicle on a highway of this state at a time when your privilege to do so was canceled, suspended, or revoked, and that you had previously been convicted of a violation of this section or any ordinance of any city, resolution >> [clears throat] >> of any county, or a law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes. Driving while suspended, second offense, uh is a Let's see. Carries a penalty of 5 days to a maximum of 12 months in jail, a minimum fine of $100 up to $2,500.

[00:04:31]In count four, you are charged with no proof of insurance. It is alleged that you unlawfully operated a motor vehicle upon a highway or upon property open to use by the public and failed to display, upon demand, evidence of financial security to a law enforcement officer having been lawfully requested to do so in accordance with the provisions of the Automobile Injury Operations Act. That's a class B non-person misdemeanor.

[00:04:57]Carries a penalty of up to 6 months in the county jail and/or a minimum fine of $300 up to $1,000.

[00:05:05]And in count five, you are charged with illegal registration.

[00:05:09]It is alleged that you unlawfully displayed or caused or permitted to be displayed or had in your possession any registration receipt, certificate of title, registration license plate, registration decal, accessible placking parking placard, or accessible parking identification card knowing the same to be fictitious or to have been canceled, revoked, suspended, or altered.

[00:05:34]That is an unclassified misdemeanor.

[00:05:35]Carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding $2,500 or imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 30 days nor more than 6 months or both such fine and imprisonment.

[00:05:48]So, those are your charges and possible penalties in MGI 24 CR 193 for which you were arrested on that warrant.

[00:05:56]You were also arrested on probable cause, that being out by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, their case number 25 - 1459, and that was for the offenses of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with law enforcement, and transporting open container. Uh that occurring allegedly on or about December 16 of 2025 in Montgomery County, Kansas.

[00:06:23]I have found probable cause to support your arrest for that offense.

[00:06:28]Um Mr. Gaussoin, I have a pre-sentence investigation report for Ms. Nickel from a 2014 case, 14 CR 153. At that time, she had a Let's see. Criminal history score of H and had a number of traffic infractions, domestic battery, marijuana, disorderly conduct, some DUIs, things of that nature. Do you have any more recent criminal And the arrest warrant that was issued for 24 CR 193, um I included a cash surety bond of $5,000.

[00:07:10]Um I didn't require supervision for that, but in light of Ms. Nickel's remarks here this morning, um I'm more concerned with her risk of flight, um and so I'm inclined to modify the bond and to address the bond to cover this new case as well. So, what is the state's bond recommendation? Your honor, we would request a $7,500 cash or professional surety bond for both cases, and we would also request bond supervision.

[00:07:39]All right. So, Ms. Nickel, your bond to cover both matters is going to be $7,500 cash or professional surety with supervision. What that means is for you to get out of jail, you either need to post $7,500 at the clerk of the court or you can go through a bondsman. If you go through a bondsman, you pay them no less than 10% of that amount. That'd be $750. Could be more, but not be less.

[00:07:59]The supervision component means if you do make that bond, you need to immediately report to court services upon your release from jail.

[00:08:06]They're located next door in the old Montgomery County Courthouse, the building immediately to the west of this one.

[00:08:11]Uh your failure to report to them upon your release from jail and anytime thereafter they direct would be a violation of your bond. It could result in being revoked and you find yourself back in custody.

[00:08:21]Any questions about that, Ms. Nickel?

[00:08:23]No.

[00:08:27]Do you intend on hiring your own attorney or do you want the court to consider appointing you one?

[00:08:32]Um I'm not sure.

[00:08:35]Well, the deputy will give you an application and affidavit. So in the event you decide you want the court to consider appointing you one, fill that paperwork out and return it. And if you qualify financially, I'll be more than happy to appoint you an attorney.

[00:08:47]But should you choose to hire your own or if you don't qualify financially, then you'll have to do that as well.

[00:08:52]Um I would note you are to have no contact of any kind, direct or indirect, uh with Sherry Dodge, uh who is alleged non law enforcement victim in 24 CR 193.

[00:09:05]And you're to have no contact of any kind, direct or indirect, with William Shyler, uh to whom you were arrested with in the unfiled Montgomery County Sheriff's Office case. If you're to have contact with either of those individuals, directly or indirectly, in any way, shape, or form, that would be a violation of your bond and it could result in being revoked and you find yourself back in jail.

[00:09:26]Any questions about that?

[00:09:29]No. All right.

[00:09:31]Your next court date >> [clears throat] >> and I showed this uh, Mr. Gasso, the 24 CR 193 is a north half case. This unfiled case is a south half case. So, what would you like these put on the docket, on north or south half?

[00:09:50]Your honor, if you don't mind, just cuz I believe that you are the assigned judge for the 24 CR 193 case. I am, correct. I don't have an issue in just both, um, cases being assigned to the south half case if that is okay with the court. All right.

[00:10:05]So, the next court date in, um, just so there's no confusion for you, Ms. Nickel.

[00:10:14]Uh, let's see. We set both your cases for hearing on Tuesday, December 23rd at 9:00 by Zoom. If you have bonded out and you're not in jail on that date, you either need to make yourself available by Zoom by getting signed on on your own with your own device and your own internet internet connection, or if you don't want to do that or can't do that, you need to come back here to the judicial center, check in at the clerk's window by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 23rd. And when your case is called, they'll get you set up on a laptop to participate in that hearing. On that date, you'll find out what you've been formally charged with in this unfiled case. Thereafter, both your cases will be set on my, uh, next docket, January 15th at 9:00.

[00:10:58]And that'll be an instruction that'll be given to the judge on that day. So, for now, you just need to make yourself available to be in court Tuesday, December 23rd at 9:00. If you're still in jail on that day, you'll appear by Zoom from the jail like you did today.

[00:11:11]Again, if you do bond out, be sure to, one, check in with court services upon your release, and then make yourself available by Zoom on the 23rd, or come here and use our laptop on the 23rd. Any questions about any of that, Ms. Nickel?

[00:11:24]I don't think so. All right. Thank you for your time. You're pretty good.