An Ohio man was found guilty on charges of selling fake diplomatic identification cards to members of the anti-government organization Divine Province.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said 60-year-old James McBride produced false IDs and documents so that members of the sovereign citizen group that he led can avoid being arrested or paying taxes and debts.

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McBride is facing up to 35 years in prison after a U.S. District Court jury found him guilty of conspiracy, causing the impersonation of a diplomat and producing false identification documents.

Prosecutors said McBride sold the documents to Divine Province members in sets of two for $200. One of the ID identified its holder as a "Universal Post Office Diplomat," while the second document entitled its holder to an "international Diplomatic Driver Permit."

McBride started selling the identification cards in September 2012. He also sold the IDs online. Divine Province earned close to $500,000 from the sales of the documents alone, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

McBride, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, argued that the United States government doesn't hold authority over the members of Divine Province. Likewise, McBride told the court that it was the Vatican that gave him the permission to issue the IDs to his members.

In April 2013, McBride told ABC News that his mission in life was to obtain "world peace."

McBride was arrested early in the year after it was discovered that he issued at least 900 fraudulent diplomatic credentials to those who paid to be part of Divine Province. Prosecutors said McBride told his followers that they can avoid paying taxes and debts if they enroll in his society for a minimal fee.

McBride's group Divine Province is among the several rising organizations of people who claim themselves to be above the U.S. state and federal laws, claiming they are governed by divine law.

TagsNews, politics, US Politics, James McBride, Divine Province, Fraud, diplomatic ID, conspiracy, politics news