Followers believe they are exempt from state and federal laws, from property taxes to getting driver's licenses and registering their vehicles.

"Sovereign citizen" Mark Osborn is demanding the state pay him $1.6 million in gold or silver coins after a traffic stop last year, which he said was illegal because he does not have to follow traffic laws.

Interim Secretary of State Jerry Bonnet said his office regularly receives documents requesting the state recognize a person as a sovereign.

"I'm not aware of any authority that would substantiate a claim like that," he said.

Bonnet said those who consider themselves "sovereign citizens" should know they are opening themselves up to trouble.

"It would be unhappy if someone ended up on a no-fly list or ended up in more serious trouble if they were intending to use this sovereign citizen filing to get out of some minor obligation," he said.

Osborn declined to comment on his complaint against the state when approached by Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez on Tuesday.

A 2010 Call 6 investigation found a number of people involved in the "sovereign citizen" movement living in Delaware, Madison and Marion counties.

Bonnet was appointed interim secretary of state after a jury found Charlie White guilty of six felony charges last week. As a condition of speaking with RTV6 about the "sovereign citizen" movement, he said he would not take questions about the White situation.