A Phoenix man was sentenced to over 68 years in prison for his role in the 2014 armed standoff in Bunkerville, Nevada. Gregory P. Burleson, 53, was sentenced to 819 months in prison for his involvement in the assault and extortion of federal law enforcement officers.
According to the superseding indictment, Burleson traveled to Nevada with the intent to commit a crime of violence to extort federal law enforcement officers while they were executing a federal court order to remove and impound Cliven Bundy’s cattle that were trespassing on federal public lands in and around Bunkerville.
On April 12, 2014, Burleson used and brandished a firearm to impede, intimidate, and to threaten to assault federal law enforcement officers involved in the federal impoundment operations. He also threatened and used force and violence to obstruct interstate commerce by extortion in that he obtained and attempted to obtain approximately 400 cattle that were in the possession of federal law enforcement officers.
Burleson was convicted on April 24, 2017, of assault on a federal officer; threatening a federal law enforcement officer; obstruction of the due administration of justice; interference with interstate commerce by extortion; interstate travel in aid of extortion; and three counts of use and carry of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
The case was investigated by the FBI and BLM. The case was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Dickinson and Nadia J. Ahmed, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Creegan. Burleson will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Gloria M. Navarro, Chief U.S. District Judge for the District of Nevada, handed down the sentence. The investigation and prosecution of this case were the result of a collaborative effort between the FBI, BLM, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Violent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent Crime