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Boundary County man arrested in five state
federal sweep as part of 16 count indictment |
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March 5, 2016 |
A Boundary County man who was arrested in a
multi-state sweep on Thursday made a first
appearance in federal court yesterday in
connection with the 2014 armed standoff over
grazing cattle on public lands near Nevada
rancher Cliven Bundy’s property.
Federal authorities arrested a dozen people
across five states on Thursday, bringing to 19
the number facing federal charges in connection
with the 2014 standoff. These newest arrests
came after indictments were filed by a federal
grand jury in Las Vegas.
Among the twelve arrested on Thursday were four
men from Idaho. Todd C. Engel, age 48,
identified as a resident of Boundary County, was
one of the Idahoans arrested. The other Idahoans
arrested were Eric James Parker, 32, and Steve
Arthur Stewart, 26, both of Hailey, and O. Scott
Drexler, 44, of Challis.
Arrests go back to Nevada standoff
The Nevada standoff drew national attention back
in 2014, when Mr. Bundy, a rancher from
Bunkerville, Nevada, resisted federal rules to
obtain required permits and pay fees for
allegedly grazing his cattle on federally-owned
public lands in southeastern Nevada. The
incident quickly became a flashpoint for, among
others, those who contend that federally-owned
land actually belongs or should belong to the
states and who oppose the exercise of federal
authority on those lands. The standoff escalated
into an armed confrontation between law
enforcement and Mr. Bundy, along with supporters
who were drawn to his cause.
Mr. Bundy himself was arrested just last month
for his role in the Nevada standoff. His arrest
came at the Portland International Airport in
Portland, Oregon, as he was traveling to support
those who recently occupied the Malheur National
Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon.
Mr. Bundy also made his first court appearance
yesterday since his arrest, appearing before a
U.S. judge in Las Vegas.
Boundary County man, other Idahoans
arrested
Todd Engel of Boundary County and the three
other Idaho men arrested on Thursday also
appeared before federal judges on Friday. The
three southern Idaho men appeared in person in
federal court in Boise. Mr. Engel, who is being
held in Coeur d’Alene, made his federal court
appearance by way of video conferencing from
Coeur d’Alene.
The four Idaho men are charged with 11 of the 16
felony counts listed in the 63-page federal
indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court of
Nevada on March 2. All the charges are related
to the 2014 standoff, and include:
• Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the
United States
• Conspiracy to Impede or Injure a Federal
Officer
• Use and Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a
Crime of Violence
• Assault on a Federal Officer
• Threatening a Federal Law Enforcement Officer
• Obstruction of the Due Administration of
Justice
• Interference with Interstate Commerce by
Extortion
• Interstate Travel in Aid of Extortion
All are violations of Title 18, United States
Code.
Details of the indictment
The indictment alleges that "On or about April
11, 2014, [the four Idaho men] Parker, Stewart,
Drexler, and Engel traveled from Idaho to Bundy
Ranch in Nevada with firearms and with the
intent to commit the crimes set forth" in the
indictment.
The indictment goes on to describe the four
Idaho defendants as "[gunmen] who threatened,
impeded, intimidated, interfered with, assaulted
and extorted federal law enforcement officers
while in the performance of their duties . . ."
Potentially heavy penalties
The violations with which they are charged carry
heavy prison sentences and potentially hundreds
of thousands of dollars in fines, and in total
could result in the possibility of de facto life
sentences in prison.
In addition to the criminal counts listed, the
indictment also sets forth five “forfeiture
allegations.” The Idaho defendants are named in
all five of the forfeiture allegations.
Forfeiture allegations essentially state that if
a defendant is convicted of any of the crimes
with which they are charged, they must forfeit
any property used in the commission of the
crime, or profits or property derived from the
crime.
The various forfeiture allegations in the
indictment specifically state: “Upon conviction
of any of the felony offenses charged in Counts
One through Sixteen of this . . . Indictment . .
. any firearm or ammunition possessed by the
above-named defendants” would be forfeited. It
further states that those convicted “shall
forfeit to the United States of America, any
property, real or personal, which constitutes or
is derived from proceeds traceable to violations
of Title 18, United States Code.” The indictment
also describes a “criminal forfeiture money
judgment including, but not limited to, at least
$3,000,000 in United States Currency.”
Detention hearings are scheduled for the four
Idaho men next week, which will lead toward
determining whether the defendants will remain
detained until trial. Mr. Parker, Mr. Stewart,
and Mr. Drexler will have their hearings this
Wednesday, March 9. Mr. Engel’s detention
hearing will be in Coeur d’Alene on Thursday,
March 10. |
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