RALEIGH, NC — An active-duty soldier living in North Carolina has been charged with lying to military authorities about his ties to a group advocating the overthrow of the U.S. government and with arms trafficking.
Kai Liam Nix, 20, stationed at Fort Liberty, made his initial appearance in federal court Monday on the four charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina said in a news release.
A grand jury returned charges against Nix — also known as Kai Brazelton — last Wednesday and he was arrested the next day, the news release said. A magistrate judge on Monday ordered Nix held pending a detention hearing in Raleigh later this week.
The indictment alleges that Nix made a false statement on his application for a security clearance in 2022 by stating that he had never been a member of a group dedicated to the use of force or power to overthrow the U.S. government and that he had engaged in activities to that end. Nix knew he had been a member of such a group, the indictment said. Neither the indictment nor the press release provided details about the group.
The indictment also charges Nix with one count of dealing in firearms without a license and two counts of selling a stolen firearm. Those charges identify activities that occurred late last year and early this year. The types of firearms were not identified.
Nix was appointed a public defender on Monday, but no attorney was listed in online court records late Monday night. A message was left after hours at the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Raleigh.
Nix faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney Michael Easley Jr. Easley and the National Security Division’s counterterrorism unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Department are investigating the case.