A 62-year-old man has been arrested in connection with stolen Malheur National Wildlife Refuge vehicles. Fish and Wildlife had previously reported the two vehicles stolen, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office said.
Advertisement
Oregon State Police made the arrest Friday at a grocery store in Burns.
A second government vehicle, which like the first was reported stolen by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, was found next to Medenbach’s in the Safeway parking lot, though no arrests of a second driver have been reported.
Medenbach was apprehended in the nearby town of Burns, and charged with a class C felony for driving the van with government plates and signs for the Harney County Resource Center, the name that protesters have given to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge after occupying it. It’s time to restore law and order, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
A member of the group occupying the building at the wildlife refuge confirmed Medenbach is a member of the group, and blamed him for “doing something stupid”.
The armed group, led by Ammon Bundy, occupied the headquarters of the refuge near Burns following a protest in that town over the fate of two local ranchers ordered back to prison following their arson convictions for burning public land.
Medenbach faces two charges in federal court for unlawful camping and unlawful occupancy of the BLM property.
Law enforcement agencies dealing with the standoff have kept a low profile and have not moved against the armed group at the refuge.
Bundy said he understood the frustration of Harney County residents with the federal government having spent several months in the community earlier.
Arizona rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, who has acted as a spokesperson for the group, accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation of inflaming tensions in the area by their presence.
The Bundys had planned a meeting with community members Friday night, but that is in limbo after county officials said they couldn’t use the local fairground.
The refuge occupiers a number of days ago began using federal vehicles located at the refuge.
One of the leaders of the armed group, Ryan Bundy, has said the group isn’t interested in the artifacts but wants the refuge land opened to ranchers and loggers.
Advertisement
It was the first arrest of a person associated with the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge compound about 30 miles south of Burns. He criticized local officials for “making sure we have no access to facilities to talk to the residents”.
