Ranchers are furious after an armed federal agent stormed the land of a South Dakota couple, who are now facing 10 years in prison over a fence if convicted as charged.
Charles and Heather Maude, both 39, of Caputa, were separately served grand jury indictments of alleged theft of government property on June 24 by Forest Service Special Agent Travis Lunders, who showed up at their door unannounced, armed, and full tactical gear, according to Cowboy State Daily.
‘It’s is stressful, financially and mentally,’ Charles told the outlet. ‘It’s something nobody should have to go through.’
The couple are not allowed to discuss the case with each other as they were served separately. They also have to seek their own legal services and face 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine each.
Lunders served them the indictment after the government claimed the couple put up a fence on federal grassland.
There’s been ongoing tension between the Forest Service and area ranchers, which have only heightened since the Maudes’ indictments, according to Rachel Gabel, assistant editor of The Fence Post told The Daily.
Charles and Heather Maude, both 39, of Caputa, were separately served grand jury indictments on June 24 by Forest Service Special Agent Travis Lunders, who showed up at their door unannounced, armed and full tactical gear
‘It’s is stressful, financially and mentally,’ Charles told the outlet. ‘It’s something nobody should have to go through.’ Lunders served them the indictment after the government claimed the couple put up a fence on federal grassland, which left them with charges of alleged theft of government property. (Pictured: some of the Maude’s land)
‘The Forest Service has long said they want to be good neighbors, and taking shots at easy targets isn’t being good neighbors,’ she said.
Many in the area say the case went from ‘zero to 120mph in 87 days,’ and many are left angry, she said.
Their dispute with the Forest Service started on March 29, when they were told to remove a ‘no hunting’ sign from one of the post that mark off the government’s property.
The Service allegedly got a complaint from a hunter about the sign, which prompted its removal, although the couple claim to have never seen documentation of the complaint.
A little over a month later, the couple met with Forest Service District Ranger, Julie Wheeler, where it was decided the land needed surveyed to determine property boundaries, Gabel told The Daily.
The couple is not allowed to discuss the case with each other as they were served separately. They also have to seek their own legal services and face 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine each if convicted as charged
Five days later, Lunders showed up at the couple’s property with a survey crew, without improving them prior. Wheeler had told the couple, it could take up to a year before their land was surveyed.
Then, on June 24 – 87 days since the first dispute – Lunders showed up again with the indictments.
The couple’s troubles have even made their way up to Congress’ Natural Resources Committee after Senator Mike Rounds wrote a letter to US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.
‘This action represents a direct conflict to an agreed-upon plan, wherein the landowners were working cooperatively with the USFS to resolve the issue,’ he told his fellow politician, according to Western Livestock Journal (WLJ).
Their dispute with the Forest Service started on March 29, when they were told to remove a ‘no hunting’ sign from one of the post that mark off the government’s property
The Maude family had a lease agreement with USFS for around 60 years, where the fence placement was acknowledged each time, according to Rounds.
The fence was reportedly built in 1950, which predates their permit agreement.
‘The criminal indictment appears unnecessary and conflicts with USDA’s stated good neighbor practices with regard to land management practices,’ Rounds wrote.
He said the Forest Service’s actions are an ‘overzealous prosecution of a ranching family in my state.’
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Public Lands Council (PLC) also issued a statement, saying the Forest Service and US Attorney’s Office had ‘maliciously targeted and prosecuted these family ranchers, and it’s clear that if this can happen in South Dakota, government outreach can happen anywhere,’ according to Western Livestock Journal.
‘This case is a prime example of what can happen when federal agencies view ranchers as enemies, rather than partners,’ PLC President Mark Roeber said, according to WLJ.
‘I urge the U.S. Forest Service to rethink their plan to slap handcuffs on these hardworking ranchers and instead pursue an alternative resolution to this issue.’
The Maude family had a lease agreement with USFS for around 60 years, where the fence placement was acknowledged each time
Charles’ family has been ranching since 1907 when Thomas Maude purchased the land, according to the family’s website.
Charles purchased some of the land in 2002 at the age of 17 and a year later, when his grandfather died, he purchased the rest with the help of his parents.
A GoFundMe for the couple has been set up to help with their separate legal fees.
‘The Maude family has owned the US Forest Service allotment in question since the Forest Service came into existence and has managed that same land since 1913. The family has never been advised it was violating any rules and to this day the family maintains its grazing agreement in good standing,’ Katie Dirksen wrote on the fundraiser.
The GoFundMe has raised $18,700 toward its $77,000 goal as of Saturday afternoon.