Alaska man goes to prison for selling fire wood?

[toeknee]

Seward man guilty of illegally selling firewood Associated Press - September 4, 2009 6:44 PM ET ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A federal judge found a Seward man guilty of illegally collecting and selling firewood.Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward said Friday that 54-year-old David Moore collected firewood on federal land along the Hope Highway and sold it. The firewood had been designated for personal use.U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge John D. Roberts scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30.The maximum faced by Moore is six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

But his neighbors are all Drug Dealers and still on our streets!
We got the fire wood guy and he will pay for his crime????

[OldBuzzard]

Well, I can't find much on that story using google.

I'm betting that the firewood was already cut and stacked for other use, he came along, took it, and was selling it.

If that IS the case then he's guilty of theft.

You don't think theives should be locked up?

[smyrna]

Well, I can't find much on that story using google.

I'm betting that the firewood was already cut and stacked for other use, he came along, took it, and was selling it.

If that IS the case then he's guilty of theft.

You don't think theives should be locked up?

No, he gathered it himself and traded it to a man in exchange for reducing his debt to him.

[LouC]

Well he shouldn't have been doing that.

A Seward man convicted of illegally collecting firewood on federal land is facing six months in federal prison, according to the U.S. attorney.

David Moore, 54, could also face a fine of $5,000 after his conviction for illegally collecting and selling firewood without a special-use authorization from the U.S. Forest Service, prosecutors said.

Moore was convicted at trial on Wednesday of collecting firewood designated for personal use along the Hope Highway at Mile 12.2, which is federal land, and selling it to a third party, prosecutors said.

The court found Moore was working on federal land without a special-use authorization permit in violation of the law.

Anchorage Daily News Click LINK (http://www.adn.com/crime/story/923316.html)

[gdoane]

Not something I'd want to be in prison for.

Bubba: Hey buddy, what you in for?
New guy: Taking wood.
Bubba: All right! My kinda guy! Got a date yet?

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

Not something I'd want to be in prison for.

Bubba: Hey buddy, what you in for?
New guy: Taking wood.
Bubba: All right! My kinda guy! Got a date yet?

ROFLMAO........I'm trying to wake up slowly ....coffee...everywhere...lol...can't breath!

Your trying to kill me aren't ya Gene? :lol:

~Mysty

[Gabby]

Our prisons are filled to the brim. It costs the tax payers thousands to keep a person locked up. It costs a lot more than the firewood is worth. Now they are going to throw this guy in with hardened crimianls.

Apparently what he did is illegal. New Mexico has similar laws for wood collected from the federally owned forests.

But come on, jail?

How about giving the guy some community service? Or house arrest but allow him to go to work, doctor, etc.

Prison for a cord or so of wood is rediculous.

[LouC]

They haven't sentenced him yet.

Maybe he will get a small fine a short probation plus time served, knock on wood?

[DLaw911]

Our prisons are filled to the brim. It costs the tax payers thousands to keep a person locked up. It costs a lot more than the firewood is worth. Now they are going to throw this guy in with hardened crimianls.

Apparently what he did is illegal. New Mexico has similar laws for wood collected from the federally owned forests.

But come on, jail?

How about giving the guy some community service? Or house arrest but allow him to go to work, doctor, etc.

Prison for a cord or so of wood is rediculous.This person broke a law which has a legitimate purpose. The jails and prisons are also full of people who broke mere regulatory offenses. How about 180 days in jail for giving a foot massage without a license? How about 2 years for running a house of prostitution? Or years in prison for growing weed in your own back yard for personal use?

[sisyphus]

" A federal judge found a Seward man guilty of illegally collecting and selling firewood..."

Huh:rolleyes:

[AutoRacer55]

Not something I'd want to be in prison for.

Bubba: Hey buddy, what you in for?
New guy: Taking wood.
Bubba: All right! My kinda guy! Got a date yet?

http://www.w3bbo.com/forums/LOL-ROFL_Mao.gif

[sisyphus]

Originally Posted by gdoane http://forums.hannity.com/firestorm/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.hannity.com/showthread.php?p=60442951#post60442951)
Not something I'd want to be in prison for.

Bubba: Hey buddy, what you in for?
New guy: Taking wood.
Bubba: All right! My kinda guy! Got a date yet?

LOL just plain tacky.:lol:

[DLaw911]

Seward man guilty of illegally selling firewood Associated Press - September 4, 2009 6:44 PM ET ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A federal judge found a Seward man guilty of illegally collecting and selling firewood.Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward said Friday that 54-year-old David Moore collected firewood on federal land along the Hope Highway and sold it. The firewood had been designated for personal use.U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge John D. Roberts scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30.The maximum faced by Moore is six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

But his neighbors are all Drug Dealers and still on our streets!
We got the fire wood guy and he will pay for his crime????It's a misdemeanor. The guy will get a $500 fine.

[sisyphus]

It still looks like a very skewed perspective.

[AutoRacer55]

It still looks like a very skewed perspective.

Woodn't you believe it?

[jeepers]

He ought to be ASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAMED of himself! We can't have a vicious criminal like him on the streets! A law is a law!

..uh....wait....sorry ...*cough*....


BAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!


:))

[DLaw911]

What most you DON'T know about this case is the most disturbing. Think about the STEPS and PROCEDURE it took to get to this stage:

1. A citation was issued and a complaint filed by the US Attorney in federal court charging defendant with a misdmeanor;
2. He appears at the arraignment and enters a plea of not guilty
3. The US Attorney must prepare the case for trial. Prior to trial the US Attorney will normally provide a lengthy document to the defense known as a plea agreement, i.e. their position if the defendant wanted to plead guilty
4. The case proceeds to trial. A jury is chosen and a courtroom dedicated to this one case.
5. The jury returns a guilty verdict
6. The defendant now reports to the federal probation officer who prepares a report along with sentencing guidelines and recommendations. A typical federal probation report will be 30 pages or more.
7. The US Attorney and the defense attorney can respond to the probation report, and both can submit sentencing positions to the US Magistrate.
8. The last step is sentencing. Unlike a state court case, federal sentencing is very time consuming. Even a simple case like this can take over 2 hours to pass sentence. It all depends on the length of arguments of the respective attorneys, and any character witnesses who testify on behalf of the defendant, and how long winded the US Magistrate Judge is.

The cost to the taxpayers for THIS one case -- I would estimate well over $15,000 and probably above $25,000.

[NCRedState]

What most you DON'T know about this case is the most disturbing. Think about the STEPS and PROCEDURE it took to get to this stage:

1. A citation was issued and a complaint filed by the US Attorney in federal court charging defendant with a misdmeanor;
2. He appears at the arraignment and enters a plea of not guilty
3. The US Attorney must prepare the case for trial. Prior to trial the US Attorney will normally provide a lengthy document to the defense known as a plea agreement, i.e. their position if the defendant wanted to plead guilty
4. The case proceeds to trial. A jury is chosen and a courtroom dedicated to this one case.
5. The jury returns a guilty verdict
6. The defendant now reports to the federal probation officer who prepares a report along with sentencing guidelines and recommendations. A typical federal probation report will be 30 pages or more.
7. The US Attorney and the defense attorney can respond to the probation report, and both can submit sentencing positions to the US Magistrate.
8. The last step is sentencing. Unlike a state court case, federal sentencing is very time consuming. Even a simple case like this can take over 2 hours to pass sentence. It all depends on the length of arguments of the respective attorneys, and any character witnesses who testify on behalf of the defendant, and how long winded the US Magistrate Judge is.

The cost to the taxpayers for THIS one case -- I would estimate well over $15,000 and probably above $25,000.

I realize you're a lawyer Dlaw911, but if you read the news account you may have missed something...

http://www.thesewardphoenixlog.com/news/show/7150


1. OK, maybe, after the investigation by the USFS. Or the USFS could have just written him a citation.

2. Yep.

3. For a petty misdemeanor, probably not so lengthy.

4. It was a bench trial in front of magistrate judge, they probably had a docket full lined up.

5. Well, the judge did.

6. The court may require a probation service report.

7. Maybe.

8. Or it could take five minutes.

Cost?

AUSDA? Lawyer
Judge? Lawyer
Defense Counsel? Lawyer

You're right probably cost a fortune! ;)

[Samm]

This case is just a microcosm of the larger issue. Can you folks now appreciate why Alaskans are so upset about 60% of the State being controlled by the Federal Government? They call us a sovereign State, but they often completely ignore State law and set up their own rules on their lands, many of which blatantly violate the Statehood Compact (the signed agreement between the State and the Federal Government at the time of Statehood) and the State Constitution.

[Cav Scout]

This case is just a microcosm of the larger issue. Can you folks now appreciate why Alaskans are so upset about 60% of the State being controlled by the Federal Government? They call us a sovereign State, but they often completely ignore State law and set up their own rules on their lands, many of which blatantly violate the Statehood Compact (the signed agreement between the State and the Federal Government at the time of Statehood) and the State Constitution.

And that is a fact.

The fact that there is a BLM and a USDA department of US Forestry and Forest Service is a crime in and of itself. It happened because there are many states that are so incompetently managed that they need a 'Forest Service', however the rest of us do not and we do not need the 'Forest Service' and their 'Tree Cop's' passing judgment on what is a 'bug tree' and why it cannot be cut for fire wood. Asinine and it should be done away with. The US Forest Service and its over educated under common sense having morons need to be done away with. The Federal government should not own land. But we have states like California who can not manage a city park let alone a forest...

[NCRedState]

This case is just a microcosm of the larger issue. Can you folks now appreciate why Alaskans are so upset about 60% of the State being controlled by the Federal Government? They call us a sovereign State, but they often completely ignore State law and set up their own rules on their lands, many of which blatantly violate the Statehood Compact (the signed agreement between the State and the Federal Government at the time of Statehood) and the State Constitution.

Yup, kind of asinine. The firewood is free for the taking, if you burn it yourself. The old couple down the road? Nope they can't hire you to collect for them. :rolleyes:

Hell, look at the press report;

According to Assistant United States Attorney Aunnie Steward, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Moore was collecting firewood designated for personal use along the Hope Highway at mile 12.2, on federal land, and providing it to a third-party for payment for his services.

Oh the inflated outrageous costs Dlaw mentioned? That makes you a "welfare" state, ask croup. :rolleyes: