The ongoing conflict between Kevin “The Angry Vet” Soper and Christopher “Direct D” Ruff escalated on Monday as Soper put out a “bounty” for the location of Ruff that resulted in a dramatic confrontation between Ruff and YouTuber Lane Myers.
Soper wrote on his YouTube community page: “To whom it may concern, It is known that several people are looking to serve papers to the Youtuber Christopher Ruff also known as (Direct D). Any information leading to the whereabouts of said Youtuber will be compensated upon service of confirmed location. All information will be held in the highest of confidence and you will remain 100 percent anonymous. The REWARD is set for 250.00 US dollars paid upon confirmation of service. Please send your inquires to newlifebearing at YAHOO .com”
Controversial YouTuber Lane Myers, who is also at odds with Ruff, was one of the first to answer Soper’s call. He replied in the same thread to user RichardDDickens that he intended to go live with a drone from Ruff’s location.
@RichardDDickens
8 hours ago
@lanemyers2980
GTK yet do you have exact location?
@lanemyers2980
8 hours ago
@RichardDDickens Yes, Im going to go live from in front of his camper with a drone.
Upon hearing of the bounty and threats to dox his current location, Ruff took to Twitter with a direct complaint to @TeamYouTube:
https://x.com/RuffChristopher/status/1896743669115548090
The level of depravity @TeamYouTube has sunk to is amazing. My phone number, social security number, kids grandmothers house address, business addresses, family members addresses… all personal information, all allowed by YouTube to be repeatedly posted on their platform.
https://x.com/RuffChristopher/status/1896759766007066843
Ruff had earlier released to Twitter a phone conversation he had with Myers. During that call, Myers threatened to show up to Ruff’s house “tomorrow” with the FBI. Myers also threatened to sue Ruff for saying that he saw a “white baggie” on Myers’ previous livestream.
Myers also claimed that “the FBI” has been asking for Ruff’s location for seven months but could not ascertain it because Myers would not give up Ruff’s address.
Ruff’s video ended with Myers hanging up on Ruff, and Ruff issuing a trespass warning on Myers. He said he’d be texting the trespass notice to Myers and that if Myers showed up to his house, he implied that he would use any means necessary to protect his family.
Myers would later go live on his own channel to address the call between the men and a privacy strike placed on his channel by Ruff for allegedly leaking the name of the town Ruff lives by. Myers warned Ruff that if Ruff’s only income was from his YouTube channel and he was filing false privacy strikes, he would be especially vulnerable to losing both should Myers take action.
Lane Myers came into prominence in the First Amendment auditing scene last summer and has gained great fame for his highly unusual style in his pro se defense against criminal charges. Once dubbed the next Jose “Chille” DeCastro for his apparent extensive knowledge of the law, Myers’ reliance on drugs and rambling, unconventional livestreams have somewhat tempered his rise in the community.
Myers and Ruff are natural rivals, both based in Arizona, and have recently been at odds over criticism Ruff has made of Myers.
Soper has been one of Ruff’s many continual targets as he has rebranded himself from cop watcher and first amendment auditor to commentator on the First Amendment auditing world.
Ruff has been forced into retirement of sorts from these activities as he has at least one warrant for missing a court date two years ago in Arizona. He currently broadcasts from a studio setup in a shed from an undisclosed location.
Soper himself has been a controversial figure in the First Amendment auditing community as he has been accused of both stolen valor and defrauding those who make contributions to his The Servicemen and Citizens for American Rights Society (SCARS) non-profit organization.
While SCARS apparently has filed for tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service, other situations surrounding the organization (including using a man with no law license as it’s legal advisor), has put trust in the organization in doubt.
Soper and then partner Annapolis Audits/Taco Terry had a falling out of sorts with the majority of the active east coast-based first amendment auditors last year at a gathering in New Jersey in support for Leonard “Leroy Truth” Filipowski. The pair became targets of Ruff’s commentary soon after that, with Annapolis Audits/Taco Terry later aligning himself with Ruff after his own falling out with Soper.
It is unclear if Soper is using funds from his SCARS organization to fund his bounty on Ruff.
