Small South Dakota Farm Wins Against Federal Land Prosecution
In a major step to protect rural America, the Trump Administration announced it has dropped criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude, small-scale farmers from South Dakota. The Maudes were wrongly targeted over a 50-acre federal land dispute that began as a simple civil issue.
“The Maudes are not criminals. They have worked their land since the early 1900’s and something that should have been a minor civil land dispute quickly turned into an overzealous criminal prosecution,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. Her statement highlighted the Administration’s dedication to protecting family-owned farms.
The controversy started when fencing by the Maudes allegedly blocked access to Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. Though they cooperated with federal officials for a survey, criminal charges were later filed against them under the previous administration.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stressed the need to refocus legal efforts, saying, “This Department of Justice will spend our resources and efforts on prosecuting criminals, getting drugs off the streets, and identifying and dismantling the weaponization.”