Feds Press On With Second Refuge Occupation Trial

PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) – Federal prosecutors said Monday they intend to move forward with the trial of the remaining defendants over the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge – using the same conspiracy charge that occupation leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy beat in October.

This coming April, seven additional defendants will face the same charge the prosecution failed to prove in the trial against the occupation leaders: conspiracy to keep federal refuge workers from doing their jobs.

Prosecutors said they will add a sprinkling of misdemeanor charges to the indictment, perhaps in response to criticism that they lost the first case because they aimed too high with felony charges they couldn’t convict.

This time, prosecutors will add misdemeanor charges of trespassing, property destruction and tampering with vehicle and equipment.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ethan Knight, Geoffrey Barrow and Craig Gabriel estimated that the trial of Jason Patrick, Duane Ehmer, Dylan Anderson, Sean Anderson, Sandra Anderson, Darryl Thorn and Jake Ryan will last one month.

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