Ammon Bundy was indicted Wednesday with 10 others in connection with the January takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, but the indictment was sealed and the defense doesn't know what the charges are.
Mike Arnold, Bundy's lead attorney, complained to U.S. Magistrate Janice Stewart about the sealed indictment, saying he was not presented with the charges, according to
Oregon Public Broadcasting. Stewart gave federal prosecutors 24 hours to give a copy of the sealed indictment to the defendants.
"I think we should be able to see the charges the government is alleging against our client," Arnold said after a hearing in Portland. "I think we should be able to see them now."
Amy Baggio, an attorney for Joseph O'Shaughnessy, also demanded for immediate release of the indictments Wednesday, reported
The Oregonian, but assistant U.S. attorney Geoff Barrow said he would move to unseal them in less than 24 hours.
Bundy, O'Shaughnessy and nine others were taken into custody last week on federal criminal complaints, including a single federal conspiracy charge that accused them of impeding operations at the federal wildlife refuge using intimidation, threats or force, said The Oregonian.
The sealed indictment would replace the criminal complaint. The Oregonian said the indictment could also include charges of trespassing on federal property, destruction of federal property, unlawful access to federal computers and possession of firearms on a federal facility.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 24 on the indictments, according to The Oregonian.
Oregon Public Broadcasting said four armed militants are still at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, near Burns.
Bundy was arrested on Jan. 26 when he was stopped with others on a nearby highway after being holed up in the refuge since Jan. 2, according to the Salem Statesman Journal. Robert "LaVoy" Finicum was killed by authorities and Bundy's brother Ryan was shot in the arm during a confrontation at the traffic stop.
After his arrest, Bundy asked those remaining at the refuge to end the standoff through a statement from his attorney, wrote the Statesman Journal.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.