Sam Mullet ordered detained

A federal court magistrate ruled Nov. 30 that Bergholz Amish leader Sam Mullet will remain in the custody of U.S. Marshals pending hate crime charges.In a hearing in U.S. District Court, Magistrate George J. Limbert ordered Mullet, 66, of 385 Township Road 280, Bergholz, be detained by U.S. Marshals as court proceedings against him progress.The order is the equivalent of being held without bond.U.S. District Court records indicate Mullet was represented by attorney Edward G. Bryan. Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla testified in the hearing, as well as FBI agent Michael Sirohman. Sirohman is the agent who prepared a 21-page affidavit that led to hate crime charges against Samuel Mullet, Daniel S. Mullet, 37, of 8865 County Road 53, Bergholz; Eli M. Miller, 31, of 385 Township Road 280, Bergholz; Levi F. Miller, 53, of 35 County Road 53, Bergholz; Johnny S. Mullet, 38, of 362 Township Road 280, Bergholz; Lester S. Mullet, 26, of 522 Township Road 54, Hammondsville, and Emanuel Schrock, age and address unknown.Limbert Nov. 30 further ordered Daniel Mullet, Johnny Mullet, Lester Mullet and Emanuel Schrock held without bond as well. Hearings are being held Dec. 2 for the remaining defendants. Limbert further ordered the hate crime charges proceed to the federal grand jury. The seven men are charged with conspiring to commit hate crimes, and aiding and abetting another in willfully causing bodily injury to any person, through the use of a dangerous weapon, because of the actual or perceived religion.The charges stem from beard-cutting attacks on four individuals. The attacks are allegedly the result of perceived disobedience or defiance of Samuel Mullet, who is said to have complete control over the lives of members of the Bergholz Amish. Of the four attacks, one involved an Amish bishop who disagreed with a shunning decision by Samuel Mullet; another involved a son luring his father to Bergholz, apparently in retaliation for the father leaving the Bergholz Amish.