Jury Clears Ammon Bundy in Malheur Refuge Standoff Trial

PORTLAND, Ore. — The 41-day armed seizure of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge ended not with gunfire, but with gavels and silence as a federal jury acquitted six defendants, including ringleader Ammon Bundy, on all charges of conspiracy, firearms possession on federal land, and theft. The standoff, which turned a remote Oregon bird sanctuary into a flashpoint for anti-government extremism, concluded with a verdict that stunned prosecutors and reignited debate over federal land use and armed resistance.

The jury found Ammon Bundy, Shawna Cox, David Lee Fry, Jeff Wayne Banta, Kenneth Medenbach, and Neil Wampler not guilty on every count. Ryan Bundy was cleared of conspiracy and firearms charges but deadlocked jury left the theft charge unresolved, setting the stage for a potential retrial. The decision marks a major setback for federal prosecutors who spent months building a case against the militants who occupied the refuge starting January 2, 2016.

Meanwhile, 11 co-defendants — Jason Blomgren, Brian Cavalier, Blaine Cooper, Eric Flores, Wesley Kjar, Corey Lequieu, Joseph O’Shaughnessy, Ryan Payne, Jon Ritzheimer, Geoffrey Stanek, and Travis Cox — had already pleaded guilty ahead of trial. Another group, including Dylan Anderson, Sandra Anderson, Sean Anderson, Duane Ehmer, Jason Patrick, Darryl Thorn, and Jake Ryan, will face trial beginning February 14, 2017. Charges against Peter Santilli were previously dismissed by the court.

“While we had hoped for a different outcome, we respect the verdict of the jury and thank them for their dedicated service during this long and difficult trial,” said Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We strongly believe that this case needed to be brought before a Court, publicly tried, and decided by a jury. Despite the verdict reached, I want to personally thank all of the law enforcement personnel who worked tirelessly to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Malheur occupation. I also want to thank the residents of Burns, Hines, and Harney County and members of the Burns Paiute Tribe for their patience and resolve throughout this process.”

Greg Bretzing, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon, reiterated the federal stance: “For many weeks, hundreds of law enforcement officers – federal, state, and local – worked around-the-clock to resolve the armed occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge peacefully. We believe now – as we did then – that protecting and defending this nation through rigorous obedience to the U.S. Constitution is our most important responsibility.” Bretzing called the verdict “extremely disappointing” but affirmed respect for the judicial process.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey Barrow, Ethan Knight, and Craig Gabriel. The occupation, sparked by outrage over federal sentencing in a separate ranching case, drew militia groups from across the country, turned a quiet corner of Harney County into a war zone, and ended with the fatal shooting of one occupier, LaVoy Finicum, during a traffic stop. The trial laid bare the fault lines between sovereign citizen ideology and federal authority — and now, with most defendants walking free, those tensions remain unresolved.