Matt Lakin

USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee

The self-proclaimed "sovereign citizen" guilty of killing a father of two during a backward driving rampage in Oak Ridge now faces charges of filing bogus liens against the officials who prosecuted him.

An Anderson County jury found Lee Harold Cromwell, 65, guilty Wednesday of vehicular homicide and eight counts of aggravated assault after a three-day trial. While Cromwell waited for the verdict, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents served him with a Davidson County grand jury's indictment charging him with 28 counts of forgery and filing fraudulent liens.

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The charges came as part of a crackdown on adherents across East Tennessee to the sovereign citizen movement — one that Cromwell's case apparently helped kick off. Sovereign citizens deny the legitimacy of the United States, state and local governments and often rely on a mishmash of conspiracy theories, discredited legal arguments, and rumors posted online to wage personal crusades against public officials and anyone else who crosses them.

Oak Ridge police arrested Cromwell after he drove his Dodge Ram pickup backward through a crowded parking lot at A.K. Bissell Park after the July 4, 2015, fireworks show. The truck struck several people and vehicles, killing James Robinson, 37, of Knoxville, as Robinson pushed his two daughters out of the way.

While awaiting trial, Cromwell filed millions of dollars in liens against the property of the officer who arrested him, along with liens against Criminal Court Judge Don Elledge, District Attorney General Dave Clark, Oak Ridge Police Chief James Akagi, Circuit Court Clerk William Jones and others. A furious Elledge had to recuse himself from the case and ask for an outside judge to be appointed.

The judge vowed to do "everything legally and ethically possible" to prosecute Cromwell.

Related:

Experts: Bogus liens common tactic of sovereign citizens

Anderson vehicular homicide case stalls when suspect files lien against judge

Tennessee law allows liens to be filed online in a matter of minutes for only the cost of a few fees. Filing a bogus lien carries a felony charge punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000.

Records show Cromwell has a history of bizarre court filings, including disputes with the Internal Revenue Service over unpaid taxes and a notarized letter sent to Oak Ridge City Court with a $1 bill enclosed for a speeding ticket. In his filings, Cromwell referred to himself as "Lee-Harold: of the Family Cromwell" and "denied the corporate existence" of the federal government, Tennessee and "all agencies of Anderson County."

The grand jury that indicted Cromwell on the bogus liens charges – based in Nashville because that's where the liens were filed with the state – indicted nine other people as well, all from East Tennessee, on similar charges. TBI officials gave few details on those indicted, but said agents opened the probe with the FBI last year upon a request from Clark, the Anderson County district attorney general – a target of one of Cromwell's liens.

"These arrests send a clear message," said Secretary of State Tre Hargett, whose office handles liens. "Public officials as well as state and local government employees shouldn't be harassed with fraudulent liens just for doing their jobs."

No court date on the indictment has been set for Cromwell. He faces sentencing on the vehicular homicide and aggravated assault charges in April, with a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Cromwell also faces three lawsuits filed in the crash.

Also indicted in the TBI roundup were: