Montana Navy Veteran Joe Robinson Imprisoned for Building Fire Fighting Ponds

The Federal Government and their minions - BLM, EPA, USFS - continue to overstep their assumed authority.



Gavin Seim for Liberty
July 20 at 4:00pm

Moments ago, 77 year old Joe Robertson, a Navy Veteran from Montana was given 18 months in Federal Prison and over $100K in fines over a pond.

Nathan Seim reports from the scene. Joe was charged for building ponds on his property to help the community fight fires. The pond was permitted by the State and was even inspected and deemed non-polluting.

The US Forest Service did not like Joe, so they they trespassed on his land to harass him and look for charges, finally trumping up the crime of polluting waters of the USA. When the first jury would not convict, they tried Joe again and won.

Jefferson C Sheriff Craig Doolittle, (406) 225-4075 and Missoula C Sheriff McDermott, (406) 258-4810 allowed Joe to be hauled away despite having a lawful duty to intervene. Call and tell them to honor their oath and stand up.

Read more on the case here: redoubtnews.com...

Our government is in TREASON, our police act as their arm and our sheriffs are will not stand. They take life and tear apart families on a whim.

How much more will you take before you will rise and cast off these tyrants? Who will join me and resist?

Gavin certainly raises an interesting question.

Who will join him and resist?

The US Forest Service did not like Joe, so they they trespassed on his land to harass him and look for charges, finally trumping up the crime of polluting waters of the USA. When the first jury would not convict, they tried Joe again and won.

That people right there is a fifth amendment violation.

Keep doing it until they get their preferred outcome.

What nonsense.

It's the BLM putting their fascist boot down on the man.
All part of agenda 21
#blmlandshouldrramainfree

a reply to: thorfourwinds

Hi Thor! Gotta be kidding me. Is it on private land, did he dam a stream to create the pond?

I get it though. BLM has been burning farmers lands in an effort to drive them out so they can lend the land to mega fracking Corp. Can't have them rallying to put the fires out now can they?

Joseph Robertson - YouTube

Published on Jul 2, 2016
Joseph Robertson, a 77 year old vet may be sentenced to 15 years in prison for building a small pond on his property. The EPA filed criminal charges claiming his 1/10 of acre pond polluted a river 60 miles away.

originally posted by: thorfourwinds
Joe was charged for building ponds on his propertyt?

Funny how you left out the fact he also built illegally on Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest land....

Additional investigation revealed that Robertson continued to construct ponds on the USFS property after May of 2014, despite being told repeatedly that he had no legal right to do so.

One of the central legal issues at trial was whether the waters polluted by Robertson were “waters of the United States” for purposes of the Clean Water Act. The United States introduced evidence and expert testimony from the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA that the stream and wetlands had a significant nexus to traditional navigable waters, and therefore were “waters of the United States.” Fishery biologists from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) and the USFS testified that this headwater and wetland complex provided critical support to trout in downstream rivers and fisheries, including the Boulder and Jefferson Rivers. “This verdict sends a message that the United States will not stand by and allow streams and wetlands of the United States to be polluted, or National Forest lands to be injured,” said United States Attorney for the District of Montana Mike Cotter. “Clean and healthy waterways are a critical resource for all forms of life and are a Montana value. It is imperative that we protect this increasingly scarce resource. The collaborative efforts of multiple state and federal agencies in cases like this help ensure that individuals who seek to degrade it will be held accountable.”

www.justice.gov...

Joe is a disabled veteran that needs his service dog.

The scum buckets took away the dog.


Joe Robertson Sentenced. - YouTube

Published on Jul 20, 2016
Witness statements for Joe Robertson sentencing today in Missoula, Montana.

Aren't ponds breeding grounds for mosquitoes?

There's more to this story.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

This is yet another overstepping of boundaries by Law Enforcement. As Neo pointed out a violation of the "Double Jeopardy" rule.

It should also be noted that because there is water to be had there, the Gov't. will most likely keep picking on Mr. Robertson so one of these "Welfare Ranchers" can come swoop in and take His land. Don't let the moniker using the term "welfare" throw You. These are the Waltons from Walmart fame; The Simplotts et al. These are BILLIONAIRES with a B that are using U.S. Taxpayer $$$ to further THEIR bottom-lines.

As these links clearly point out: These already .01% are buying these places for their water..

www.publiclandsranching.org...

www.alternet.org...

www.amazon.com...

PLEASE take the few moments to at least glance at the links..

Don't think Water is a big deal? Try going a week without any and see how things are going... We ARE water...

Stay Hydrated.. You know, while You can and "They" aren't either poisoning it or adding fluoride for "Your benefit"..

a reply to: hellobruce

As a 51-year veteran volunteer/paid wildland firefighter, I probably have a different view of building catchments for firefighting purposes than you do.

The Feds usually have it wrong in cases like this. . . like the desert tortoise and Cliven Bundy.

Certainly, the 'crime' did not deserve the sentence.

It was handed down to keep the fear factor of government agents instilled in the sheeple.

Thank you for your time and consideration, though.

a reply to: hellobruce

One of the central legal issues at trial was whether the waters polluted by Robertson were “waters of the United States” for purposes of the Clean Water Act.

Funny how you left out the gubment wants the lands to let to corporations to deforest, mine and frack on. Fracking pollutes ground water and aquifers.

"Clean Water Act" what a joke.

a reply to: thorfourwinds

Do you have a different view on when you are told not to do something on land that isn't yours?

He may not have been wrong that they were needed, but that doesn't give him the ability to just go and do regardless of what anyone says.

a reply to: intrptr

Hi Buddy!

This business with JR is abysmal. The very idea of putting a 77 year old Navy veteran in prison for this minor transgression is a perfect example of what's wrong with America today.

[snipped]

a reply to: Sremmos80
As Americans, WE all 'own' the land.

Perhaps you are confusing 'ability' and 'right.'

But you do bring up a point that deserves further investigation.

Thank you.

a reply to: hellobruce

so, it seems the real issue is that he built 9 ponds,some of them on federal land, even after he was told that what he was doing was illegal.

The government contends that nine stock ponds affect approximately one-tenth (1/10) of an acre of discharged pollutants into the Jefferson River, nearly 60 miles away.

redoubtnews.com...
it also seems that the 9 ponds that he made were discharging 1/10th of an acre of runoff and pollutants into the Jefferson river. it does not say whether that is 1/10th of an acre per month,per year that is being deposited into the river.

It sounds like the guy was given fair warnings by the government and a chance to cease his illegal activities,he chose not to and now he is paying the consequences.

a reply to: Annee

There's a whole lot more.

www.splcenter.org...

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: Annee

There's a whole lot more.

www.splcenter.org...

Sounds like if he wants to build a bunch of crap he needs to buy his own damn land like everybody else. He also needs to research water rights.

Who the hell decides they can appropriate public land? Is he going to turn a blind eye if I go there and build a home or graze cattle there? No.

Another entitled welfare rancher.

a reply to: thorfourwinds

That is a nice pipe dream but that isn't the reality. At least not in the sense that any and all can do as they please on what ever gov owned land.

I don't like that this 77 year old is going to prison, he should have been able to get something else but let's not act like he did no wrong because it was gov land and he is a citizen.

originally posted by: thorfourwinds
a reply to: intrptr

Hi Buddy!

This business with JR is abysmal. The very idea of putting a 77 year old Navy veteran in prison for this minor transgression is a perfect example of what's wrong with America today.

Another article makes it plain as day this isn't abut a few ponds, or silt runoff from their construction...

Robertson shared the stage with Jeanette Finicum, the widow of LaVoy Finicum, who was fatally shot in January at a police road block established to arrest those extremists including Cliven Bundy’s sons, Ammon and Ryan, who had occupied Masher National Wildlife with assorted militia groups, including members of the III Percent movement.

Guilt by association with other 'known terrorists'. Anyone who protects their land, challenges the gubment, demonstrates or protests is a terrorist now. Didn't see that coming.

a reply to: intrptr

Um he shared the stage after he got in trouble...
Might want to check your timeline of events.