But even as Riley returned home to Jefferson City, the report said, he began to have second thoughts. He kept in close contact with Faella but wondered if he was limiting himself by aligning with American Front.
While Riley was considering his choice, law enforcement was working with a secret informant in Florida who had infiltrated American Front. It seems clear from the documents like that person was someone other than Riley.
In fact, when he found out in May that Faella and his crew had been arrested, Riley said he spent time trying to figure out the identity of the informant. The report is unclear about whether he ever figured it out.
On Tuesday, Maj. Tammy Spicer with the Missouri National Guard told TPM that Riley’s service with the military ended on May 25. She declined to say whether the military had opened an investigation into his white supremacist activities.
For his part, Riley told the criminal investigators he was finished with American Front.
“Riley advised that he was no longer affiliated with any white supremacist groups,” the report said, “although he continued to embrace the Skinhead ideology and considered himself a ‘lone wolf’ Skinhead.”
Nick R. Martin
Nick Martin is an associate editor at TPM in New York City. He came to the site in 2011 as a reporter for TPMMuckraker. Previously, he worked in Arizona, first as a staff reporter for a local newspaper and later as a freelance journalist. He also ran the news blog Heat City. Contact him: nick [at] talkingpointsmemo.com
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