4 Of 7 Refuge Occupiers Set To Appear In Second Trial Will Plead Guilty

Four of the seven defendants in the second Malheur Refuge trial are scheduled to plead guilty to federal charges. The defendants are scheduled to go to trial on Feb. 14. New federal court filings show Dylan Anderson, Sean Anderson, Sandy Anderson and Darryl Thorn indicate they plan to change their pleas at hearings in U.S. District Court next week. Prosecutors have charged the defendants with felonies, including conspiring to prevent federal employees from doing their job at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, as well as carrying a firearm in a federal facility. Those are the same felony charges leaders of the occupation faced, and were acquitted of, last year. In this second trial, prosecutors also added misdemeanor charges, such as trespassing and destruction of property. But a person familiar with the case tells OPB the four defendants are expected to plead guilty to trespassing, a misdemeanor charge. All other charges, including the felonies, will be dropped. If the four plead guilty that will leave just three defendants at this month trial: Jason Patrick, Duane Ehmer, and Jake Ryan...more