Travis Cox called his refuge occupation 'hasty decision by an arrogant and ignorant young man'

The youngest Oregon refuge occupier to face indictment acknowledged Monday that he was an "arrogant, ignorant young man" who made an impulsive mistake in going to the bird sanctuary last year and doing guard duty during the armed takeover. "If I could go back, I wouldn't do it again,'' Travis Cox said, standing beside his lawyer during his sentencing hearing. He was ordered to serve two years of probation, including two months on home detention, for conspiring to impede federal workers through intimidation, threat or force during the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Cox was 20 when he signed in at the eastern Oregon refuge on Jan. 9, 2016, and stayed until the night of Jan. 26, 2016, when police arrested the occupation's leaders as they traveled to a community meeting. Cox, now 22 and living with his mother in Redmond, said his reasoning was "convoluted'' at the time. "It was just a hasty decision by an arrogant and ignorant young man who didn't respect the law," he said. "... I would never do something like this again. It has been a very difficult learning experience for me.'' U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown said she believed Cox had matured and now realized there are other ways to resolve disputes...more