Staff Reports
The FBI and the US Air Force executed search warrants at multiple homes in Lincoln and Clark counties as part of an investigation regarding a man who runs a website that details the top-secret Area 51 military base.
The "Area 51" search warrants: https://t.co/sRSmOfbnrh
— George Knapp (@g_knapp) November 16, 2022
On November 3, the FBI and the Air Force executed search warrants at the homes of Joerg Arnu in Las Vegas and the small town of Rachel. They reportedly seized potential evidence for an unspecified investigation. A military official said the warrants were carried out as part of an investigation.
The agency referred to the investigation as an ongoing law enforcement matter involving the Air Force and the Las Vegas FBI. Although he declined to provide further details about the nature of the investigation, Arnu is the website's primary contributor. Located in Lincoln County, Nevada, Area 51 is a secret Air Force facility that tests new and classified aircraft.
Arnu started the website Dreamlandresort.com in 1999 to provide information about Area 51 and its various activities. It features videos of drones flying over the area, as well as satellite images of the facility.
It also has a discussion forum where people can share their thoughts on topics such as UFOs and black projects. In addition, the site claims to have photos of what it describes as the "super secret" Northrop Grumman RQ-180 unmanned aircraft that was flying in 2021.
Reached by email Wednesday, Arnu declined to provide further details regarding the investigation. However, he posted a news release on his website last week, which provided his side of the story.
In his news release, Arnu claimed that the search warrants were carried out to silence the research community about Area 51. He said the government agents used excessive force during the search.
According to Arnu, the search warrants were carried out by about 20 armed agents wearing riot gear. They entered his home in Rachel while he was with his girlfriend, and they then detained them in the most disrespectful manner.
He claims that the agents handcuffed his girlfriend and placed her in the street in her underwear. He also said that he was led outside, where he was held in cold temperatures.
Upon asking the agents why they came, Arnu was informed that the search was related to the content posted on his website.
He claimed that the search resulted in the loss of his personal data, such as his medical records and financial records. He estimated that the damage to his home was around $5,000. The confiscated equipment also included his laptops, phones, hard drives, a drone and camera gear.
He also claimed that his phone was taken, which left him stranded in Rachel with no way to call for help.
According to Arnu, the search warrant had 40 pages missing, and the case file was sealed, which prevented him from reading it. He also claims that the FBI didn't return his calls.
He also plans on filing a legal action to get his equipment back. He claims that he has no choice but to take this step due to the damages caused by the search.
Sandy Breault, a spokesperson for the FBI, declined to comment on the incident. However, in an attempt to defend the situation, Arnu took down some of the content that he posted on his website. He claims that it was legal to publish the content on his site. He said the information on his site could still be found on other similar websites. He has no plans to remove anything else from the website unless required by a federal judge.
