Furious ranchers across America unite behind terrified South Dakota couple facing jail after armed feds stormed their land

Ranchers are furious after an armed federal agent stormed a South Dakota couple’s land. If found guilty, they could face up to 10 years in prison over a fence.

Charles and Heather Maude, both 39, of Caputa, were separately indicted by a grand jury on June 24 for allegedly stealing government property from Forest Service Special Agent Travis Lunders, who showed up at their door unannounced, armed and in full tactical gear, according to Cowboy State Daily.

“It’s stressful, both financially and mentally,” Charles told the outlet. “It’s something that no one should have to go through.”

The couple are not allowed to discuss the case together, because they have been summoned separately. They must also seek their own legal services and each face up to 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine.

Lunders filed the lawsuit after the government alleged the couple had built a fence on federal grassland.

According to Rachel Gabel, assistant managing editor of the Forest Service, there has been ongoing tension between the Forest Service and local ranchers, which has only increased since the Maudes were charged. The gate post told The Daily.

“It’s stressful, both financially and mentally,” Charles told the outlet. “It’s something no one should have to go through.” Lunders filed the suit after the government alleged the couple had built a fence on federal land, prompting them to charge them with theft of government property. (Pictured: A portion of the Maudes’ land)

“The Forest Service has long said they want to be good neighbors, and shooting at easy targets is not a good neighbor,” she said.

Many in the region say the speed went from “zero to 193 km/h” in 87 days and many are angry, she said.

Their dispute with the Forest Service began on March 29, when they were told to remove a “No Hunting” sign from one of the posts marking government property.

The agency reportedly received a complaint from a hunter about the sign, which was subsequently removed. However, the couple claims they never saw any documentation of the complaint.

A little over a month later, the couple met with Forest Service District ranger Julie Wheeler and decided the land needed to be surveyed to determine property boundaries, Gabel told The Daily.

The couple are not allowed to discuss the case together, as they have been summoned separately. They must also seek their own legal services and face up to 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine each if found guilty of the charges.

Five days later, Lunders showed up at the couple’s property with a survey crew, without giving them any advance notice. Wheeler had told the couple it could take up to a year to survey their land.

On June 24, 87 days after the first dispute, Lunders reappeared with the charges.

The couple’s troubles even reached the Congressional Committee on Natural Resources after Senator Mike Rounds wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

“This action is in direct conflict with an agreed upon plan, in which the landowners worked with the USFS to resolve the issue,” he told his fellow politician, according to Western Livestock Journal (WLJ).

Their dispute with the Forest Service began on March 29, when they were told they had to remove a “No Hunting” sign from one of the posts marking government property.

According to Rounds, the Maude family had a lease with the USFS for about 60 years, with the fencing installation being acknowledged each time.

The fence was reportedly built in 1950, before the permit agreement.

“The criminal charges appear unnecessary and violate good land management practices established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),” Rounds wrote.

He called the Forest Service’s actions an “overzealous persecution of a ranching family in my state.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council (PLC) also issued a statement saying that the Forest Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office “viciously targeted and prosecuted these family ranchers. It is clear that if this can happen in South Dakota, the government can do it anywhere,” the Western Livestock Journal reported.

“This case is a prime example of what can happen when federal agencies view ranchers as enemies instead of partners,” PLC Chairman Mark Roeber said, according to WLJ.

“I urge the U.S. Forest Service to reconsider their plan to put these hardworking ranchers in chains and instead find an alternative solution to this problem.”

The Maude family had a lease agreement with the USFS for approximately 60 years, with the placement of the fence being acknowledged each time

According to sources, Charles’ family has been ranching since 1907, when Thomas Maude purchased the land. family website.

Charles bought part of the land in 2002, at the age of 17, and a year later, when his grandfather died, he bought the rest with the help of his parents.

A GoFundMe An arrangement has been made for the couple to cover the costs of their separate legal proceedings.

“The Maude family has owned the land in question since the U.S. Forest Service was founded and has managed that land since 1913. The family was never notified that they were in violation of any regulations and to this day the family maintains their grazing lease in good standing,” Katie Dirksen wrote about the fundraiser.

The GoFundMe had raised $18,700 of its $77,000 goal as of Saturday afternoon.