BUNKERVILLE  STANDOFF:  BLAINE COOPER PLEA DEAL SENTENCING FARCE

On Thursday (September 27th) one of the 19 men arrested in connection with April 2014's Bunkerville Standoff near Nevada's Bundy Ranch, Blaine Cooper, was sentenced in connection with his plea deal.

Cooper was sentenced at US District Court in Las Vegas to 20 months in prison, the time he was held following his 2016 arrest.  He is also facing three years of supervised release in connection with his Bunkerville and Oregon Standoff case plea deals.

Cooper pled guilty to conspiracy and assault on a federal officer in connection with Bunkerville, a situation where nobody harmed a hair on anybody else.

However, in the days leading up to Bunkerville, federal law enforcement attacked three different people.   They shoved  Cliven Bundy's sister Margaret Houston to the ground, they tased Ammon Bundy and they took Dave Bundy into custody roughing him up by pushing his face into the ground until his face was pockmarked with stones before he was released.

Actions like this and the presence of federal law enforcement snipers around the Bundy Ranch in early April motivated protesters  like Cooper to show up for what became the Bunkerville Standoff.

While evidence proving innocence of those accused was hidden by prosecutors some people were tried and convicted and others entered into plea deals.   When the evidence was revealed the cases against key defendants were dropped.

But the prosecutors in the US Attorney's office including the US Attorney for Nevada appointed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Dayle Elieson, are appealing to have those charges reinstated.

In addition three men remain imprisoned in connection with Bunkerville.    Greg Burleson (found guilty, 68 year, 3 month sentence), Todd Engel (found guilty, 14 year sentence) and Jerry Delemus (plea deal, 87 months).