A trial date has been set for April 29 for ranching couple Charles and Heather Maude of South Dakota.
The Maude family was indicted on June 20, 2024, for theft of government property after the U.S. Forest Service alleged the family placed a fence on federal grassland and used 25 acres for grazing. The Maudes have had an ongoing grazing agreement with the agency for 60 years and said the fence placement has been recognized at each renewal. They contend they were never informed of any rule violations and maintain that they kept their grazing agreements in good standing.
Charles and Heather are being charged separately and each face up to 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine.
“The fact that the two are indicted separately means they must each retain their own legal counsel—doubling their attorney fees,” read a GoFundMe organized to help the couple.
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