A ranching family in South Dakota is at the center of a horrible example of federal overreach. Charles and Heather Maude are fighting for their liberty and way of life on their ranch after overzealous feds charged them with “theft of government property” & 10 years in prison. I visited the Maude ranch this past weekend along with over a dozen fellow legislators and community members to learn more and see for ourselves. Charles and Heather Maude are a respected family with two beautiful and very sweet young kids. Part of the land that the Maudes ranch sits next to U.S. Forest Service property, separated by an old fence line that’s stood for decades. But recently, the U.S. Forest Service claimed that the Maude family committed theft for working the land on the Maude side of the old fence—land that the Maude family has run cattle on in good standing for decades. The Maudes have never had an infraction with the U.S. Forest Service. The Maudes met with the Forest Service and agreed that a survey should take place to help settle the dispute. But instead of continuing the discussion like neighbors to sort out any disagreement, the feds went ahead and indicted Charles and Heather for “theft of government property,” a charge which faces up to 10 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 fines. The Maudes have yet to even see the result of the survey. The Maudes were charged separately and have been forced to hire two separate lawyers. Charles and Heather are under a gag order and are prohibited from talking with each other about the case. Their Second Amendment right to possess a firearm has been suspended. They’ve endured significant emotional and financial hardship. All because of a simple property line dispute that could just be handled civilly… Now, as they head toward a federal trial, the Maudes face what, to me, is literally unfathomable: their young children being taken away from their mom and dad if Charles and Heather are sentenced to up to 10 years in a federal penitentiary... This is just wrong. By the end of the day, after visiting the ranch and going over to the local firehall, two of my own young kids who came along with me and my wife were sitting at a card table playing go fish together with the two young Maude kids. The Maude kids had courteously introduced themselves to my boys with handshakes before they began playing. I found myself sitting there watching them play cards for a minute thinking that no one could possibly look those kids in the eyes and think that it is right or just to take those children away from their parents over an issue like this. Those kids shouldn’t be put through this—nor should their parents. This isn’t how disputes should be handled in South Dakota—or anywhere. Neighbors talk. If we disagree, we keep talking and work it out—just like the Maudes want to be able to do. I sincerely hope that our federal government, now led once again by great people in President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Secretary Rollins, steps in as soon as possible to review this case and DISMISS THESE CHARGES.
