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{{::drumhead.jpg|}}\\
<wrap lo>**FALSELY ACCUSED** An interrogation scene from the TNG episode, "The Drumhead."</wrap>
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====== Peters Falsely Accuses Guidelines Leaker ======
<wrap lo>//Main article: [[axanar_guidelines|Axanar Tries to Rally Fan Films to Its Proposed Guidelines]] \\
See also: [[guidelines_backlash|Backlash]]// and //[[guidelines_timeline|The Public Interest Behind Private Guidelines Talks]]// and //[[intrepid|‘Intrepid’ Suspends Production]].//
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//**__ __**// <wrap lo>**By [[user>cpedraza|Carlos Pedraza]]**</wrap>
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After **AxaMonitor** published details about [[Alec Peters]]' effort to get other fan films to back the [[axanar_guidelines|production guidelines]] he wanted to negotiate with CBS and Paramount, the Axanar producer went hunting for the leaker.

And Peters thought for sure he found him. He was also wrong. 

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<wrap lo><wrap em>PATCHED UP</wrap> Scott Johnson reported on May 31, 2016, he'd received an apology from Alec Peters. [[#rapprochement |Read more »]]</wrap>
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===== The Culprit? =====

On May 28, 2016, Peters confronted Scott Johnson, a principal at Oklahoma-based [[http://www.starbasestudios.net|Starbase Studios]], which provides production facilities for a number of smaller Star Trek fan films, including:

[{{ ::scott-johnson-phase2.jpg|**Scott Johnson** of Starbase Studios, on the set of Star Trek New Voyages, where he also volunteers.}}]

  * Starship Grissom
  * Yorktown
  * Starship Valiant
  * The Federation Files
  * Star Trek: The Romulan Wars
  * Starship Melbourne
  * Starship Republic
  * Star Trek: Anthology
  * Dreadnought Dominion
  * The Lexington Adventures

==== Invitation to Participate ====

In an interview with **AxaMonitor**, Johnson said he was among the eight people invited to participate in giving Peters feedback on his draft fan film guidelines, but joined the group late in its discussions.

"I was added to this group late Thursday afternoon," Johnson said. "I made NO COMMENTS period in said group. Friday morn this [guidelines article] comes out." That led him to make his public statement disavowing Peters' effort, he said.

Johnson corroborated his statements with the transcript of a Facebook Messenger conversation he held with Peters from May 26-28, 2016.

===== Accusations =====

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{{ :alec_peters.jpg?nolink&75|}}
//**__‘We had a mole who copied screencaps of everything and sent them to [AxaMonitor editor] Carlos Pedraza. … I hate that fuck. ’__**// — //Axanar producer Alec Peters//
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> <wrap lo>[Friday 3:49 PM] **Alec Peters**: Just so you know, I didn't leak anything. We had a mole who copied screencaps of everything and sent them to [**AxaMonitor** editor] Carlos Pedraza who broke the story. I hate that fuck.</wrap>

However, Peters had, early that morning, revealed the names of the people he had invited to the Facebook chat to a pro-Axanar blogger, sparking the nearly universal [[guidelines_backlash|disavowal]] by fan producers — including Johnson — of his efforts.

> <wrap lo>**Scott Johnson**: I can't believe u did this to the people that have helped YOU in the past WILLINGLY @ that.</wrap>

Johnson said he was upset he'd been publicly named as a part of the group despite contributing nothing. "Who gave u the names?" he asked **AxaMonitor** editor Carlos Pedraza. "I'm tired of the lies and am going to the source."

===== Suspicions =====

Johnson had confronted Peters about his release of the names, quoting a Facebook post by Shawn O'Halloran, a vocal critic of Peters and Axanar:

> <wrap lo>**Scott Johnson**: [quoting O'Halloran] "Axamonitor posted the information and NOT the names because the source requested to remain anonymous and keep the participants' names anonymous. … Axamonitor contacted [Axanar spokesman] Mike Bawden and asked for a comment before publishing and then Alec Peters decided to leak everyone's name to HubCap [Dave's blog] about two hours later." \\ \\ [to Peters] What part of that don't you understand?</wrap>

[{{ ::starbasestudios.jpg?nolink&300|**STORING SETS** Before he'd accused Scott Johnson of leaking information to **AxaMonitor**, Alec Peters had asked to store Axanar's sets at Johnson's Starbase Studios facility.}}]

Peters replied:
> <wrap lo>**Alec Peters**: Not sure what I am responding to.</wrap>

By Saturday morning, Peters suspicions began to boil over.

> <wrap lo>[Saturday May 28 6:28 AM] **Alec Peters**: Can you please send me screenshots of your conversation with Shawn [O'Halloran]? Specifically what you said right before that.</wrap>

About 45 minutes later, a confused Johnson replied:

> <wrap lo>[Saturday May 28 7:15 AM] **Scott Johnson**: ? \\ **Alec Peters**: I would like to see your conversation with Shawn O'Halloran. \\ **Scott Johnson**: Wasn't me. It was shared to me by 1 in your group.</wrap>

Another three-quarters of an hour passed, and Peters asked:

> <wrap lo>[Saturday May 28 7:59 AM] **Alec Peters**: Who?</wrap>

===== Betrayal =====

Johnson did not reply. Almost 14 hours later, Peters shared his deduction:

> <wrap lo>[Saturday May 28 9:44 PM] **Alec Peters**: Yeah I figured. We know the leak was you. Really bullshit Scott. … You released private info and fucked us all over. \\
**Scott Johnson**: ME??? REALLY ALEC? Good luck with that one.</wrap>

Johnson, who had volunteered as crew for Peters in the past, as well as for Star Trek New Voyages, was further outraged when Peters began telling others Johnson was the source of the leak to **AxaMonitor**.

"Alec is messaging personally to people I know and telling them that I'M THE LEAK
and TRASHING my name and rep[utation]," Johnson said. "I AM DONE with him."

Axanar supporters on Facebook began stating as fact that Johnson was the leaker:
{{::charles-britto-johnson.jpg?direct|}}

The accusation stung because Peters, anticipating the possible loss of [[secret_investors|his studio]], had asked Johnson to store the Axanar sets.

"Alec had contacted me in the last month wanting to move his sets here," Johnson said. "So tell me, if I'm such a bad guy why would he want to move all his crap here? Under my care I assume?
REALLY? With the enemy????"

Johnson said, "Alec is 'The Black Plague.' You can quote me on that."

===== Rapprochement =====

<wrap em>UPDATE</wrap> Asked for a statement on May 30 about the accusation, Axanar spokesman Mike Bawden said Peters and Johnson "have patched things up and Alec now assumes the person leaking the details of the discussions surrounding possible fan film guidelines is someone other than Scott."

Johnson confirmed Alec had apologized to him. "Alec apologized for saying I was the leak. We are square on that. Nothing more. … He also said he would post his apology publicly. 
I have yet to see that anywhere at present."((May 31 private Facebook message from Scott Johnson to AxaMonitor editor Carlos Pedraza.))

Johnson added he has not nor will he house Axanar sets at Starbase Studios. 

Moving forward, he said Peters was looking elsewhere for the person who gave **AxaMonitor** the information. Peters may need to cast his net wide, since [[axanar_guidelines|the article]] had multiple sources.

"He said he's pretty sure who the leak is by process of elimination," Johnson said. "I said good luck." {{:axamonitor-ico.gif?nolink|}}


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<wrap right>**Keywords** {{tag>fan_films guidelines news fact_check}}</wrap>