On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Ladonia was drawn into the news after an individual involved in a standoff with Oklahoma City police claimed that his home and himself were part of Ladonia, a micronation in southern Sweden. The suspect, DeAngelo Sherfield, attempted to use his Ladonian citizenship as a defense against local law enforcement, stating that they had no jurisdiction over him.
Sherfield, a fugitive, has a history of presenting fabricated Ladonian documentation, including a falsified driver’s license and vehicle tags. In March, he was pulled over and produced a “Nation of Ladonia” card, which was described in the police report as “poorly made” and “invalid.”
Following his previous arrest, Sherfield contacted Ladonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking assistance. The MFA informed him, at that time, that the legal defenses he was attempting to argue—specifically the claim of lack of jurisdiction—were not valid. Ladonia’s officials made it clear that any individual, whether a foreign national or visitor, while within the United States of America remains subject to the laws of the United States of America and that Ladonian citizenship does not, and cannot, confer any legal protections or exemptions from those laws.
Erik White, Duke of Southmoor and Home Secretary, commented, “While we value creativity and expression, we do not condone the creation of falsified documents or the use of our symbolic citizenship in attempts to evade legal responsibilities.”
Southmoor further stated, “This situation highlights why Ladonia does not issue IDs or passports, as our citizenship is symbolic and cannot grant legal status or immunity. Additionally, we strongly advise sovereign citizens not to apply for Ladonian citizenship, as it cannot offer freedom from the laws and duties of the United States or the state in which they physically reside.”
The Home Secretary has issued an official statement addressing the situation, which can be found here.
For more information on Ladonia’s values and citizenship, please visit www.ladonia.org.
