BACKSTORY
In January 2016, dozens of well-armed occupiers took over Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, claiming that they did so because they believe the federal government had no right to own the land. Last fall, leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy were acquitted on charges related to the 41-day siege. The brothers’ five co-defendants were also found not guilty of charges ranging from intimidation to preventing federal employees from doing their jobs (“How Ammon Bundy got acquitted in Oregon,” HCN, 11/28/16.)
FOLLOWUP
On Aug. 7, Malheur occupier Travis Cox of Oregon was sentenced to two years’ probation for conspiracy. Sean, Sandra and Dylan Anderson were each sentenced in recent months to a year of probation for trespassing, and Geoffrey Stanek and Eric Lee Flores were sentenced to two years’ probation for conspiracy. Ten other participants — Jason Patrick, Joseph O’Shaughnessy, Jason Blomgren, Wesley Kjar, Duane Ehmer, Darryl Thorn, Jake Ryan, Ryan Payne, Jon Ritzheimer and Blaine Cooper, still await sentencing for felonies and other charges.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Latest: Malheur occupiers sentenced.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
