LANSING – Damon Montgomery has been sentenced to 337 days jail with 337 days credit, and fines and costs, after pleading guilty to three counts of No-Account Check, felonies punishable by two years in prison or a $500 fine. As a term of the plea agreement, the state dropped the Habitual Felony Offender enhancement against him.  

Montgomery was sentenced on January 25, 2023, in Ingham County Circuit Court before the honorable Judge James S. Jamo. 

The charges against Montgomery stem from his actions in January of 2021 when he sent three checks to the Michigan Department of Treasury in an attempt to pay his taxes. Each check contained TCF Bank routing numbers and was made payable to the State of Michigan for $1M. The checks were returned as Montgomery did not have an account at TCF Bank. 

The Michigan Department of Treasury referred the case to the Department of Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Division, which investigated and found evidence that Montgomery had committed the three No-Account Check felonies. 

“Those who use schemes and tricks to evade paying their fair share of taxes will be held accountable,” Nessel said. “I’m grateful for the dedicated work of the staff at the Michigan Department of Treasury and the attorneys and investigators in the Financial Crimes Division of the Department of Attorney General who ensured justice was served.” 

As a self-proclaimed Sovereign Citizen, Montgomery believes he is exempt from certain Michigan laws and regulations, is not under the jurisdiction of any government, and is not subject to taxes.  

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