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Ammon Bundy's bodyguard Brian Cavalier pleads guilty to two federal charges
Ammon Bundy's bodyguard Brian Cavalier pleads guilty to two federal charges
briancavalier.jpg
Brian Cavalier at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (The Oregonian/OregonLive)
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Maxine Bernstein | The Oregonian/OregonLive By Maxine Bernstein | The Oregonian/OregonLive
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on June 29, 2016 at 5:08 PM, updated June 29, 2016 at 7:42 PM
Oregon Standoff
Ammon Bundy's bodyguard, Brian Cavalier, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to impede federal workers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and carrying guns in offices, sleeping quarters and other buildings there.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel said the government will recommend a prison sentence ranging from one year and three months to one year and nine months for Cavalier, the first defendant in Bundy's inner circle to accept a plea deal.
The negotiated sentence falls far below the maximum penalties for the two federal charges -- six years in prison for the conspiracy offense and five years for possessing firearms in a federal facility.
Cavalier also is the first of the 26 defendants indicted in the conspiracy case to plead guilty to the firearms charge. Five others had the gun charge dismissed after they pleaded guilty to the single charge of conspiring to impede employees for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from doing their work at the eastern Oregon refuge during the 41-day armed occupation.
"These are the times that try men's souls, and Mr. Cavalier did what he felt is best for his case,'' Cavalier's attorney, Todd Bofferding, said in a statement after the hearing. "Mr. Cavalier still loves America no matter what.''
Sentencing is set for Sept. 30.
bcmug.jpgBrian CavalierMCSO
Whatever sentence Cavalier, 45, of Bunkerville, Nevada, receives could run consecutively with a sentence imposed in Nevada if Cavalier is convicted there on a federal indictment pending against him in the 2014 standoff with federal officers near the Bundy ranch.
Cavalier identified himself as the personal bodyguard of Ammon Bundy and Bundy's parents Cliven and Carol, on a video posted on the internet Sept. 9, federal prosecutors have said. Cavalier did work as a ranch hand for Cliven Bundy in exchange for room and board for several years, according to his attorney.
Cavalier, dressed in striped gray jail scrubs, told the court he accepted responsibility for the offenses and said he was "fully aware'' of the conditions of the agreements reached with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon.
Cavalier attended a protest in Burns on Jan. 2 to demonstrate against the return to federal prison of two Harney County ranchers. From the parking lot of a Burns Safeway, he traveled with others to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge that day and spent the first five days as Ammon Bundy's "armed personal security detail,'' Gabriel said.
"Mr. Cavalier did what he felt is best for his case. Mr. Cavalier still loves America no matter what.'' -Cavalier's lawyer Todd Bofferding.
Cavalier left Oregon for more than a week but returned to the refuge later in January to continue his security role. On Jan. 26, he was riding in a Jeep with Ammon Bundy and other takeover leaders when FBI agents and state police stopped them along rural U.S. 395 as they were driving to a community meeting in John Day.
When Cavalier was arrested, he wasn't armed, Gabriel said. During the second part of his stay at the refuge, the government also doesn't have evidence that he was armed, Gabriel noted.
"I was a body guard for Ammon Bundy which could have led to intimidation for any employee,'' Cavalier told the court. Cavalier, a broad-shouldered, sturdy man who has tattoos running from his neck down both arms to his fingers, goes by the nickname "Booda.''
The judge asked the prosecutor if Cavalier's statement was a sufficient acknowledgement of his offenses.
Gabriel pressed for more, saying he'd like Cavalier to admit that one of the purposes of the conspiracy was to intimidate federal officers from working at the refuge, even if the occupiers also had other purposes. He further asked that Cavalier acknowledge he was part of a conspiracy involving at least one other person.
"Yes, your honor, I did agree with somebody to impede,'' Cavalier said, his hands clasped behind his back.
Ammon Bundy and other defendants are scheduled to go to trial Sept. 7.
Oregon U.S. Attorney Billy Williams attended the plea hearing. He declined comment afterward.
http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/06/ammon_bundys_bodyguard_brian_c.html
Hopefully Obama will Pardon him completely before he leaves office!
This is dated back in June. He may have taken a deal prematurely.
Hopefully Obama will Pardon him completely before he leaves office!
Holy crap! Ammon Bundy's lawyer Mumford asks the Judge to show him a detainer for Nevada, if not, his client should walk free. The Judge orders Marshal's to jump on and taze the lawyer for demanding proof of why he can't leave? Kangaroo court!
oregongal 1 minute ago
What the heck Ethan Knight, other AUSA, and Judge Brown. Big failure to do your jobs. Treating these thugs with kid gloves did not work out so well, hope you learned something!!
Prayers for the Paiutes, Harney County, Malheur Refuge. Not guilty does not make these criminals innocent.
On to Nevada, hope our tax dollars to pay judges and attorneys can convict them there:
Bigger charges on tap for all there.
PS Send that idiot Dumfird to jail
Guitar Wireless 7 minutes ago
@Radi Wasn't just the FBI. Obama should have ordered a drone strike and killed them all. Second, Knight, and his bumper-sticker cross-examination was a strategic error. Finally, as I've said since the beginning, JAB was incompetent. By bending over backward for the poots because she was too afraid of an appeal, she gave away the whole goddamned store. So I hope you pacifists are happy with the verdict. You cannot deal gently with these people, violence and death are THEIR MO, you have to meet force with force. Federal government choked on this. They will choke in Nevada, too. Next time this happens, I hope people who believe as I do will be out to confront poots with equal numbers and equal weapons. It will take a catastrophe to finally get you pacifists to understand you can't negotiate with people who refuse to. Way to go, Oregon. Dumber then poots. So ridiculous.
Holy crap! Ammon Bundy's lawyer Mumford asks the Judge to show him a detainer for Nevada, if not, his client should walk free. The Judge orders Marshal's to jump on and taze the lawyer for demanding proof of why he can't leave? Kangaroo court!
What the actual f*ck.
I read it but have a hard time understanding WTF is going on