IMARS Incident details

114 Pages·2016·17.8 MB·English

by  Lucy Livesay

Bureau of Land Management:
IMARS Incident Reports

In October 2016, the Center for Western Priorities reviewed 110 pages of emails and documents
produced as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
from August 2015. The request sought reports or complaints involving activity in Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada that included the discharge of firearms or other weapons,
militia activities, or names of groups including the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters, the Militia of
Montana, the Council of Conservative Citizens, or the Sovereign Citizens between January 1, 2012 and
August 21, 2015. Fifteen pages of these records were withheld in full and 95 pages were withheld in
part. Most of the documents received were incidents recorded by BLM employees in the Incident
Management, Analysis, and Reporting System (IMARS).

The documents include 27 incident reports, 26 of which were relevant to militia and/or sovereign
citizens and public lands. Eighteen of the incidents involved contacts with militia groups, six involved
contact with sovereign citizens, and two were unclear because of the heavy amount of redactions.

Key points include:
• BLM employees were routinely threatened by militia and sovereign citizens on public lands;
• During the Bundy Ranch standoff in 2014, BLM employees received repeated death threats; and
• BLM employees routinely encounter militia groups training and operating on public lands.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement Officers Reported 26 Incidents Related to Militia or
Sovereign Citizen Activity on Public Lands in Seven States Between 2012 and 2015. Between 2012 and
2015, BLM officers reported 26 incidents related to militia or sovereign citizen activity on public lands in
Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.

• Ten Incidents Involving Sovereign Citizens or Militia Groups Were Reported in Arizona, Nine of
Which Occurred in the Sonoran Desert National Monument. Out of the ten incidents recorded
in Arizona, nine occurred in the Sonoran National Monument and eight involved militia activity.
This likely has to do with the fact that the monument is roughly 70 miles away from the Mexico-
U.S. border and many militia groups frequently attempt to patrol the border to prevent illegal
immigration.

Nevada Bureau of Land Management Employee Received Multiple Death Threats from Anonymous
Callers During Bundy Ranch Standoff. On April 11, 2014, a Nevada BLM employee sent an email to BLM
Nevada Associate Director Marci Todd and another redacted employee with the subject line, “DEATH
THREATS VS OUR AGENTS AND BLM EMPLOYEES RECEIVED.” The BLM employee wrote that he received

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a call from an “unidentified man” who suggested that the “militia needs to get out there [Impoundment]
and start pulling some triggers killing all of your fucking agents.” The man further stated “You’re stealing
property and the penalty for you and all of BLM is death.” The email was sent while the Bundy Ranch
Standoff was going on in Bunkerville, Nevada. Eventually the caller hung up and the BLM employee
wrote an email describing the situation. The incident was forwarded to several other BLM employees by
a redacted employee who wrote, “Another one.” meaning that this was not the first time the office had
been threatened.

Bureau of Land Management Employees Routinely Came Across Militia Groups Actively Patrolling and
Training on Public Lands. BLM Law Enforcement employees made contact with militia groups in 18 of
the 26 incidents received in the request. In four reports, nearly all of the information was redacted
except the fact that the BLM Law Enforcement Officers made contact with members of a militia group.
In several instances, even though the reports redacted specific information about individuals (name,
gender, etc.), specific names of individual militia groups and the actions they took on public lands were
not. The groups contacted included the Minuteman Militia, the Ada County Lightfoot Militia, and the
Arizona Defense League. Furthermore, in several cases, the militia members made reference to the April
2014 Bundy Ranch standoff in Bunkerville, NV.

• Law Enforcement Officers Stopped Two Militia Members Traveling in Sonoran National
Monument Who Were on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Domestic Terrorist Watch List.
On November 15, 2014, a Border Patrol and BLM Agent stopped a vehicle containing two men
that was traveling at night in the Sonoran National Monument. One of the men had a tactical
vest and belt, camouflage pants, and a microphone attached to a ham radio. One of the men
was also wearing a Sheriff’s star and was present at the Bundy Ranch Standoff. When the agents
learned that the two men were on the FBI Domestic Terror watch list, they asked them to
promptly surrender their weapons, which were then recorded and returned at the end of the
stop. During the stop, the man with the ham radio continued to communicate with the “squad
leader” who wanted to know what was going on. According to the report, the men were
members of the Arizona Citizen Defense League.

• Bureau of Land Management Officer Lectured About Bundy Ranch By Man Indicted for
Participation in the Malheur Occupation and Convicted of Killing His Father. On July 6, 2014, a
California BLM Officer made contact with Neil Wampler at the King Range National Conservation
Area while collecting camping fees. Neil Wampler was convicted of killing his father and
participated in both the Bundy Ranch Standoff and Malheur Occupation. Wampler engaged the
officer in a conversation about “the Bundy Incident and Constitutional Rights” before handing
him an Oath Keepers “business card.”

• Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement Officer Investigated Incident Involving Militia
Members Shooting Exploding Targets on Public Lands in Arizona. On August 29, 2014, a male
whose name was redacted contacted an Arizona BLM Law Enforcement officer to report four
men who were shooting “shooting incendiary devices (aka Tanerite)” on Polaris Road near
Havasu City. The four men were known as the “Topock Crew” and were members of the Arizona
State Militia. One of the men was known to have a 0.50 Browning Machine Gun and other “Class

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3 weapons.” When the officer investigated the area, he did not hear any explosions, but the
man who reported the behavior suggested that this was because he had also contacted the
Arizona State Militia commander who may have told the crew to stop shooting the tanerite.
According to the BLM officer, the man who reported the incident had attended the Bundy Ranch
standoff, but left after seeing how extreme some of the militia members were. The man also
stated that he was “anti-government but believes BLM and him see eye to eye on most things.”

• Bureau of Land Management Rangers Encountered Minuteman Militia Patrolling in Sonoran
National Monument. On February 15, 2014, two BLM Rangers came across members of the
Minute Man Militia patrolling in the Sonoran National Monument. The group had 11 members
and dogs and were dressed in camouflage and armed. The Rangers told them to radio fellow
militia members further out in the monument to tell them not act suspiciously so as to not be
mistaken for smugglers. In a separate report filed by a different Ranger on the same day, Minute
Man Militia members were spotted in lookout positions.

• Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement Officers Contacted Group Doing “Militia
Training” on Public Lands in Idaho. On October 26, 2013, a BLM Officer encountered a group
doing “militia training” in the Coeur D’Alene National Forest in Idaho. The commanding officer
of the group stated that the group was doing “night opps” and “land navigation” and was not
going to be shooting. The CO further stated that they “[hated] the term militia,” that they were
“pro law enforcement not against government,” and that they “[worked] with sheriff’s
departments, and [offered their] services to [the] sheriff.”

Sovereign Citizens Posed Threats to Public and Law Enforcement Officers on Public Lands. Six of the
reports detailed run-ins with sovereign citizens who showed no willingness to adhere to federal laws,
which, in some instances, created safety concerns for law enforcement officers and visitors to public
lands. The law enforcement officers who responded to these situations appeared to have the experience
and/or training to identify and deal with sovereign citizen behavior.

• Drunk Sovereign Citizen Threatened Law Enforcement Officer, Resisted Arrest. On January 31,
2015, a BLM Officer on patrol in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area was alerted to
man lying down for a long period of time in a parking lot by a park visitor. Upon closer
inspection, the man was intoxicated and cursed at the officer, telling him he had “no jurisdiction
on me fucking federal pig.” After the man attempted to hit the officer with a walking stick, he
was placed in handcuffs and placed inside of a patrol car. While in the car, the man attempted
to bite and kick the officer, spit on the floor, banged his head against the cage, and threatened
to sue and then kill him. The officer knew the man was a sovereign citizen from a previous
encounter in which the man had been asked never to return to the area.

• Bureau of Land Management Officer Harassed by Sovereign Citizen During Property Rights
Investigation. On December 21, 2012, a BLM law enforcement officer investigated potential
squatters on public land in Rawlins, Wyoming. During his investigation, a person living in the
encampment drove to the officer and became confrontational asking, “You got an eyeball

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problem?” The person calmed down after the officer found the encampment was on private
property, but made several “anti-government statements” and stated that “trespassers would
be shot on his property and that [the man] would not call the Sheriff’s Department for help.”
The officer suspected the person was a sovereign citizen because of his anti-government
statements.

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LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
IMARS Incident details
Printed by. U.S. Department of the Interior , Bureau of Land Management
Printed.· 12/28/2015 10:57
Incident: LM13032393
Incident details:
Report no.: LM13032393
Incident Type: Law Enforcement
Incident time: 10/26/2013 12:40 PDT -10/26/2013 13:40 PDT
Reported time: 10/31/2013 10:44 PDT
Place of incident: SHOSHONE ID USA (CDCD EAST FORK OF PINE CREEK) ( LLIDC01000R,
Region: IDSO, State/Zone: COEURDALENEDO, Area: COEURDALENEFO,
Place: OTHERLANDS, Point: BLM230THERBLM)
Clearance status: Closed -Incident only
Concluded: No
Concluded date:
Summary: East Fork Pine Creek, militia training, litter, warned not to keep other people from
recreating
Remarks:
Associated incidents:
Involved persons:
• • • •
I
• 0 0 0 II 0 Gender:-
~
Involved addresses:
• Incident address/ , Idaho, USA (CDCD EAST FORK OF PINE CREEK) ( LLIDC01000R, Region: IDSO,
State/Zone: COEURDALENEDO, Area: COEURDALENEFO, Place: OTHERLANDS, Point:
)
Involved comm addresses:
Involved vehicles:
•
•
•
•
•
Involved officers:
/t llllll /
• Assisting officer I 9 I BLM / Inactive employee / / 10/31/2013 /
20131031 - :- :- :--5-J~a l~.
• Re ortin office;~ ~:~-~-~!_Police other I COITONWOOD FIELD OFFICE/.
Involved property:
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
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LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
Modus operandi:
Reports:
General report:
Incident: LM13032393 Law Enforcement @10/31/2013 10:44 PDT (SHOSHONE ID USA (CDCD
EAST FORK OF PINE CREEK) ( LLIDC01000R. Region: IDSO, State/Zone:
COEURDALENEDO. Area: COEURDALENEFO. Place: OTHERLANDS. Point:
BLM230THERBLM)) (East Fork Pine Creek, militia training
Task: T130169195 (Appr NR -Closed] Due: 11/07/2013 11 :26 PDT,........->·
....( Low] LM13032393 Law Enforcement @10/31/201~0N
~D EAST FORK OF PINE CREEK) ( LLIDC01000R, Region: IDSO, State/Zone:
COEURDALENEDO. Area: COEU
Author: Report time: 10/31/2013 10:49 PDT
Entered by: Entered time: 10/31/2013 10:49 PDT
Remarks:
Narrative:
On 10/26/2013 officer - and I observed an unusual number of vehicles
parked near the Constitution Mme, located at the tenninus of the East Fork of Pine
Creek (Shoshone County, Idaho). An adult woman and two children were separate
from the group and were contacted first. When asked what was happening the
woman replied "militia ti-aining" and stated that the group was having their
"briefing".
I asked what do you mean and she said, "they are doing exercises going up and down,
they are doing tactics, and I don't know much about it." The woman then became
evasive and was like but I don't know anything. She sta1ted paying more attention to
her kids and staited to walk away from us. At that point, I noticed an individual later
identified as ·- seperating from the main group of people so I let her leave and
Ill
j:Timy
proceeded to vehicle between and the grou . I asked what do you
guh vye osin ,on. h e stated reading maps and stuff' . He
stated . , stated there wa-o shonotin an t ey were!ltam g for the
night o o mg opps. went and got the CO. stated
they do sometimes shoot, ut there should not e any s ootmg. "We are omg
mostly land navigation this time around." - stated they are in batallions. "We
hate the te1m militia, don't link us with RubyFjd.ge." "We are pro law enforcement
not against government." "We work with sheriffs depa1tments, and we offer our
services to sheriff." "We are self sufficient, have our own food, and our own internal
communications." "We can give you a call if we are going to shoot, we don't shoot
after dark."
We observed approximately fifteen persons assembled; all the individuals were
dressed in camouflage, were wearing external body amour, were equipped with two
way radios, and were anned with both semi-automatic istols and sco ed AR-15
rifles. We talked onl to and the
Ext. doc. occ report [DOCM, 88.05 KB]:
Incident: LM13032393 Law Enforcement @10/31/2013 10:44 PDT (SHOSHONE ID USA (CDCD
EAST FORK OF PINE CREEK) ( LLIDC01000R, Region: IDSO, State/Zone:
COEURDALENEDO, Area: COEURDALENEFO, Place: OTHERLANDS, Point:
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
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LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
BLM230THERBLM)) (East Fork Pine Creek, militia training
Task:
Author: Report time: 04/14/2014 11: 50 PDT
Entered by: Entered time: 04/14/2014 11: 50 PDT
Person:
Address:
Vehicle:
Officer:
Remarks:
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
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LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
IMARS Incident details
Printed by. U.S. Department of the Interior , Bureau of Land Management
Printed.· 12/28/2015 11 :01
Incident: LM14006258
Incident details:
Report no.: LM14006258
Incident Type: Law Enforcement
Incident time: 02/22/2014 15:10 -
Reported time: 02/22/2014 15:10
Place of incident: PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD, ADA ID USA (BOFR - BOP OCTC - PLEASANT
VALLEY ROAD) (Region: IDSO, State/Zone: BOISEDO, Area: FOURRIVERSFO,
Site: MORLEYNELSONSNAKERIVERBIRDSOFPREYNCA, Point: BLM11 NCA)
Clearance status: Closed - Incident only
Concluded: No
Concluded date:
Summary: Ada County Lightfoot Militia Pleasant Valley Rd, warn for
interfering with lawful users
Remarks:
Associated incidents:
Involved persons:
• /Ch~/ DOB: )Gender:-
)DL- -
Involved addresses:
• PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD / Incident address / , Idaho, USA (BOFR -BOP OCTC - PLEASANT VALLEY
ROAD) (Region: IDSO, State/Zone: BOISEDO, Area: FOURRIVERSFO, Site:
MORLEYNELSONSNAKERIVERBIRDSOFPREYNCA, Point: BLM11 NCA)
Involved comm addresses:
Involved vehicles:
Involved officers:
• Reporting officer I 9 I- -I • I SLM / Police other I BOISE DISTRICT/ I
02/17/2014 I 201402~
Involved property:
Modus operandi:
Reports:
General report:
Incident: LM14006258 Law Enforcement @02/22/2014 15:10 (PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD, ADA ID
USA (BOFR - BOP OCTC - PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD) (Region: IDSO, State/Zone:
BOISEDO, Area: FOURRIVERSFO, Site:
MORLEYNELSONSNAKERIVERBIRDSOFPREYNCA, Point: BLM11 NCA)) (Ada County
Light
Task: T140044000 [Appr NR - Closed] Due: 03/06/2014 12:06
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
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LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
- · [Low) LM14006258 Law Enforcement@02/22/2014 15:10 (PLEASANT
~ OAD, ADA ID USA (BOFR -BOP OCTC -PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD) (Region:
IDSO State/Zone: BOISEDO, Area: F
Author: Report time: 02/27/2014 12:06
Entered by: Entered time: 02/27/2014 12:06
Remarks:
Narrative:
I,. ..., am a sworn and delegated federal law enforcement officer employed as a
B~d Management Ranger.
On 2/20/2014, at approximately 1510 hours I was conducting routine law enforcement patrol
of public lands managed by the SLM along Pleasant Valley Road within the Orchard Combat
Training Center.
I observed a sign along the west edge of Pleasant Valley Rd at the intersection of a dirt two
track that leads to a popular shooting area. The sign stated;
ADA COUNTY 151 BN
LIGHT FOOT MILITIA
[email protected]
www.LightFootMilitia.com
CLOSED TO SHOTING
TRAINING AREA
I noticed there were approximately 10 vehicles parked at the shooting area down the road
with an American flag raised on a temporary flag pole. I contacted the group to find out if
they had a permit to close off the area.
I identified,. ......., as the Sargent that was leading the group. The group did
not apply fo~ access to the public in the area .
...... stated they had been training and a vehicle had driven over the berm they were
~ ards and they had put the sign up to try to keep people safe. I suggested that if
they wanted to conduct shooting and ground maneuver operations in the future that they go
to an area that was not frequently used by such a high number of the public. I informed
...... that it made sense that they try to keep people out of the area for safety.
~ was still illegal to close off public access of public lands without a permit.
I instructed. .....t o take the sign down as they were about done and to apply for a
permit in th~ y wanted to close an area off.
I passed through the area again approximately 50 minutes later and found that the sign I had
placed face down earlier had been set back up with a rock on top of it.
I contacted ...... a second time and asked why. had set the signlalckl u iafter I had
already exp~ gal implications and taken the s7g°n down myself. stated
several other members of the militia had left since I had put the sign down an one o them
must have thought the sign was knocked over and put it back up not knowing that I had
informed them that the sign could not be up.
I instructed. .....t o follow me to the sign and take it down. I also informed• that
should the ~ k up, or if they interfered with any other lawful users acces!'ro public
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
Printed b : X005
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
lands that I would have no choice other than to issue(III a citation for the violation.
~ took the sign down and the group finished up and left the area. No further action
Ext. doc. occ report [DOCM, 73.02 KB]:
Incident: LM14006258 Law Enforcement@02/22/2014 15:10 (PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD, ADA ID
USA (BOFR -BOP OCTC -PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD) (Region: IDSO, State/Zone:
BOISEDO, Area: FOURRIVERSFO, Site:
MORLEYNELSONSNAKERIVERBIRDSOFPREYNCA, Point: BLM11 NCA)) (Ada County
Light
Task:
Author: Report time: 0212112014 12:07
Entered by: Entered time: 0212112014 12:07
Person:
Address:
Vehicle:
Officer:
Remarks:
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE (FOUO)
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