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Defendant who damaged tribal sites at refuge remains at large






The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Photo from Facebook

One of the 26 people indicted in connection with the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon remains at large.

Jake Ryan is accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage to an archaeological site. According to authorities, he helped dig a road and latrines on and near sacred areas of the refuge. One latrine contained human waste, investigators said.

Ryan is from a small town in Montana and Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel on Wednesday disclosed that his office has received over 1,000 calls and emails. He has been in contact with the defendant's family but on Monday he said he didn't think Ryan was in the county.

The 41-day occupation, which ended on February 11, caused $6 million in damage to the refuge, according to news reports. Members of the media were given tours of the facility on Wednesday and documented the state of disarray there.

The land in and around the refuge is the ancestral home of the Burns Paiute Tribe and its leaders were worried about damage to sacred sites and artifacts. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has promised a greater role for the tribe at the facility.

Get the Story:
Montanans react to Ryan case on social media (NBC Montana 3/24)
Sanders County Sheriff in the middle of Jake Ryan story (ABC FOX Montana 3/24)
$6 million will go to restore Malheur refuge, cover other costs of standoff (The Oregonian 3/24)
A look inside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (KGW 3/23)
Malheur Refuge Restoration On Track, Despite Costs (Oregon Public Broadcasting 3/23)
Oregon Occupier Charged With Damaging Tribal Grounds Remains at Large (Reuters 3/22)
Judge opens door for Ammon Bundy, others to be prosecuted in Nevada and Oregon at same time (The Oregonian 3/22)

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