Four protesters still occupying Oregon wildlife refuge charged

In all, 16 people were indicted for conspiracy to impede officers of the United States during the 32-day standoff – during which the militia group, led by Ammon Bundy, refused repeated orders from authorities to leave the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The men and one woman allegedly intimidated federal officers and prevented them from doing their job at the Burns wildlife refuge.

Bundy also said the takeover of the refuge was the “duty of the people”, because of perceived injustices against Dwight Hammond Jr., 74, and Steven Hammond, 46, two ranchers now in federal prison for arson convictions.

The indictments, handed down Wednesday and unsealed Thursday, could complicate negotiations with the four remaining holdouts, given that they have called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to release and not charge them in exchange for their surrender.

Federal authorities have beefed up security at three wildlife refuges in the region amid the ongoing armed occupation of a sister refuge in eastern Oregon. However, while he had previously told them to leave the refuge and said “this fight is ours for now in the courts”, this week he changed his message.

Ammon Bundy is son of Cliven Bundy, an outspoken cattle rancher who confronted US Bureau of Land Management in the spring of 2014 over land grazing rights in the US state of Nevada. They described their life inside the refuge and said they had enough food and fuel to continue the occupation for an extended time.

After the occupation unraveled following the arrests, only four protesters remained at the refuge.

The FBI says Finicum, a spokesman for the armed group, reached for a gun in his jacket pocket. Bundy’s relatives say the shooting was not justified.

Previously, two of those indicted met with the Harney County sheriff and warned that there would be “extreme civil unrest” unless their demands were met, according to the indictment.

Shawna Cox, an occupier, was allowed to go back home to Utah while the charges pending against her worked their way through the justice system.

The prosecutors brought the indictment to Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart during a hearing in federal court Wednesday.

“I can only say that it does impact everyone’s chance at release”, said Kohlmetz, whose client remained briefly at the refuge after state police shot one protester dead and arrested several others, including leader Ammon Bundy on January 26.