Federal Grand Jury Indicts Cliven Bundy, Four Others on Charges in Nevada

10, 2016 booking photo provided by the Multnomah County, Ore., Sheriff ” s office shows Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy.

The charges stem from an armed standoff two years ago on federal land in Nevada over unpaid grazing fees.

Cliven Bundy is accused of being part of a conspiracy to “commit an offense against the United States” and conspiracy to injure or impeded a federal officer, assault on a federal officer, threatening a federal officer, weapon use and possession, obstruction, extortion, and attempting to interfere with “commerce and interstate travel in aid or extortion”.

A federal grand jury indicted Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and four others Wednesday with a raft of felony charges related to a 2014 armed standoff at Bundy’s ranch.

Cliven Bundy and his sons have been indicted on federal charges and are being held without bond.

According to national news reports, Bundy flew to Oregon Wednesday night to help negotiate a settlement between federal officers and the remaining four people who had occupied a federal building in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge since January 2.

U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams filed a motion Thursday, requesting that the hearing be canceled, citing a federal indictment returned by grand jurors in Nevada this week.

The maximum penalties for each of the charges against the men range from five to 20 years in prison. The loose-knit band of farmers, ranchers and survivalists – whose action was sparked by the jailing of two ranchers for arson – said they would not rule out violence if authorities stormed the site, although federal officials said they hope to avoid bloodshed.

During the confrontation, several of Bundy’s followers took up sniper positions against the agents to try and retake the cattle.

Stewart approved an order to send embattled rancher Cliven Bundy back to Nevada to face a 16-count indictment.

Arnold later said by text message that “it’s important for the public to remember that there is a constitutional presumption of innocence in America”. The lawyer added that an indictment or a criminal charge by the government is not proof of any wrongdoing. Some of the Bureau of Land Management opponents feel that the massive amount of land owned by the federal government harms local economies by taking away from the tax base.

“Witnesses have described the level of threatened violence as so intense that something as innocent as the backfire of (a) vehicle, or someone lighting a firecracker, would have set off a firefight”, previous court filings alleged.