For the past five years, the 30-year-old self-described “little anarchist in Austin” has been battling the most formidable of opponents — the U.S. government. His cause: Legalize the distribution of weapon-design files that allow Americans to 3-D-print firearms at home, avoiding layers of federal and state gun-control policies like permits and background checks.

Now, Wilson is being sued by a dozen states in four courts.

It’s the climax of years of litigation that began in 2013, when Wilson built his first fully printed gun and published the blueprint files on defcad.com, an online community where users upload and download designs. A week later, the federal government stepped in demanding he remove them.

Wilson says publishing information for the production of firearms is protected speech under the First Amendment.

“We don’t err on the side of censorship in this country,” he said.

But his critics say his plan could put unregulated and difficult-to-detect weapons in the wrong hands, creating a public safety crisis.

“It makes no sense to make downloadable guns available to any felon, domestic abuser or terrorist,” said Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, one of many who have sued to stop the distribution of Wilson’s 3-D gun designs.