Michael Fortier (American)
Encyclopedia
Michael Fortier and Lori Fortier, American husband and wife, were accomplices in the Oklahoma City bombing
and key informants in the trials of Timothy McVeigh
and Terry Nichols
.
Michael Joseph Fortier was born in Maine
in 1968, then moved with his family to Kingman, Arizona
at age seven. After graduating from Kingman High, Fortier entered the Army, where he met Timothy McVeigh at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1988. The company, which also included Terry Nichols
, moved on to Fort Riley, Kansas, where Fortier served until his honorable discharge in May 1991.
, they testified against McVeigh and Nichols at their federal trials and against Nichols at his state trial. Michael was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 on May 27, 1998 for failing to warn authorities about the attack, and Lori was granted immunity from prosecution. Fortier's fine was subsequently lowered to $75,000.
Michael served his sentence under an assumed name as part of a witness protection program. He was released from prison on January 20, 2006 and entered into the Witness Protection Program
with a new identity. Legal analyst Irven Box surmised that his sentence was shortened because of good behavior, and that time served before sentencing was taken into account.
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
and key informants in the trials of Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
and Terry Nichols
Terry Nichols
Terry Lynn Nichols is a convicted bomber's accomplice. Prior to his incarceration, he held a variety of short-term jobs, working as a farmer, grain elevator manager, real estate salesman, ranch hand, and house husband. He met his future co-conspirator, Timothy McVeigh, during a brief stint in the...
.
Involvement in Oklahoma City bombing
Fortier helped McVeigh and Nichols move and sell stolen guns and survey the building in anticipation of the attack. Lori forged a driver's license for McVeigh.Michael Joseph Fortier was born in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
in 1968, then moved with his family to Kingman, Arizona
Kingman, Arizona
Kingman is located in a desert climate on the edge of the Mojave Desert, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F ...
at age seven. After graduating from Kingman High, Fortier entered the Army, where he met Timothy McVeigh at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1988. The company, which also included Terry Nichols
Terry Nichols
Terry Lynn Nichols is a convicted bomber's accomplice. Prior to his incarceration, he held a variety of short-term jobs, working as a farmer, grain elevator manager, real estate salesman, ranch hand, and house husband. He met his future co-conspirator, Timothy McVeigh, during a brief stint in the...
, moved on to Fort Riley, Kansas, where Fortier served until his honorable discharge in May 1991.
Conviction and sentence
In a plea bargainPlea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
, they testified against McVeigh and Nichols at their federal trials and against Nichols at his state trial. Michael was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 on May 27, 1998 for failing to warn authorities about the attack, and Lori was granted immunity from prosecution. Fortier's fine was subsequently lowered to $75,000.
Michael served his sentence under an assumed name as part of a witness protection program. He was released from prison on January 20, 2006 and entered into the Witness Protection Program
United States Federal Witness Protection Program
The United States Federal Witness Protection Program is a witness protection program administered by the United States Department of Justice and operated by the United States Marshals Service that is designed to protect threatened witnesses before, during, and after a trial.A few states, including...
with a new identity. Legal analyst Irven Box surmised that his sentence was shortened because of good behavior, and that time served before sentencing was taken into account.