Ex-NC soldier accused of gun sales, ties to supremacist group released before trial
A former Fort Liberty soldier was released from custody to wait out his trial on house arrest Thursday amid allegations he participated in a national, white supremacist group.
Kai Liam Nix, 20, also known as Kai Brazelton, was arrested last week after a grand jury indicted him on federal charges of selling a stolen firearm, dealing in firearms without a license and making a false statement to the government, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Michael Easley’s office.
The latter charge stems from Nix’s security clearance form, on which he allegedly stated he “had never been a member of a group dedicated to the use of violence or force to overthrow the U.S. Government,” the release said.
Court documents allege Nix sold firearms without a license from Dec. 10 to Feb. 5 throughout the eastern half of the state “and elsewhere” and sold stolen firearms on Dec. 16 and Jan. 5.
If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison, according to the release.
Under the terms of Nix’s pretrial release, he must live with his mother and stepfather at their West End home in Moore County, may not access the Internet and must submit to 24/7 GPS monitoring. Additionally, Nix’s mother and stepfather may not have firearms in the home, Magistrate Judge Robert Gates said.
Alleged ties to white supremacist group
Easley’s office declined to comment on Nix’s alleged affiliation with any groups, but Jeff Tischauser, a researcher with the Southern Poverty Law Center, says he identified Nix as a member of Patriot Front after almost a year of research.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, Patriot Front is a white supremacist group based in Texas. The group spun off from another supremacist group, Vanguard America, in the wake of the deadly 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Tischauser said the project that led to Nix began in the spring of 2023, when he learned of a Patriot Front member known as “Patrick NC” who would photograph neo-Nazi fight-club events in Nashville, Tennessee. With the help of independent researchers and other local sources in Tennessee, Tischauser discovered the person behind “Patrick NC” had participated in a number of Patriot Front activities, including:
Suggesting an anarchist bookstore in Asheville as a target for vandalism.
Recruiting at least seven people via Instagram to join Patriot Front.
Attending an anti-vaccine and anti-masking rally in Raleigh on July 24, 2021.
Attending a Patriot Front training session in November 2021.
Attending two rallies protesting vaccine mandates in Raleigh in February 2022.
Tischauser conducted his research as part of Hatewatch, the Southern Poverty Law Center’s monitoring program for far-right extremist groups. It largely relies on tips from sources to identify potential groups, according to Tischauser, who said he came to believe Nix was “Patrick NC” after reviewing leaked Patriot Front images and messages from the journalism collective Unicorn Riot.
Court documents in Nix’s case don’t indicate if the alleged firearms sales were tied to any group membership. Tischauser said he had no idea of the alleged firearms trafficking, but had contacted the Army last week with his suspicions of Nix’s Patriot Front ties.
“I was stunned by the timing of it,” he said. “It’s nice to see some accountability for Kai.”
Denies Patriot Front membership, ‘separated’ from Army
An Aug. 18 piece by The New Yorker on far-right groups also details allegations against Nix, who denied membership in Patriot Front when reached via phone, according to author David D. Kirkpatrick.
Lt. Col. César Santiago, director of public affairs for the 82nd Airborne Division, said in a written statement that Nix was a private with the 82nd who arrived in Fort Liberty in 2023. Nix, an infantryman, joined the Army in 2022 and was “administratively separated from the Army” Tuesday, Santiago said.
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This story was originally published August 22, 2024 at 5:45 AM.