Convicted tax evaders Ed and Elaine Brown have been arrested at their Plainfield home without incident, the U.S. Marshal's office in New Hampshire said Thursday. The couple had been convicted on federal tax charges in January. They refused to turn themselves in to authorities when they were sentenced in April and had been holed up in their rural, fortress-like home since. It was not immediately clear how they were taken into custody. "The Browns may now begin serving their 63-month federal prison terms," U.S. Marshal Stephen Monier said. "High profile situations like this are always difficult, but they don't have to be tragic. I'm glad no one was injured, and that the community remained safe throughout the operation."

The Browns have claimed the federal income tax is not legitimate.

Earlier this year, officials cut power and telephone service in an effort to ratchet up pressure on the couple convicted of scheming to avoid federal income taxes by hiding $1.9 million of income between 1996 and 2003.

After abandoning his federal trial and retreating to his home, Ed Brown repeatedly said that any attempts to arrest him would result in a violent confrontation.