Two Plead Guilty To Timber Theft

BOISE - Terry Kevin Burton, 46, of Wilder, Idaho, and his son, Brent L. Burton, 22, of Homedale, Idaho, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property from the Malheur National Forest, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. The Burtons were indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on October 9, 2013.

According to the plea agreement, the Burtons admitted that in May 2013, they made several trips into the Malheur National Forest to unlawfully cut lodgepole pine post and poles, which they intended to sell commercially. Neither Burton had a commercial timber license or contract allowing them to take the lodgepole pine post and poles from the National Forest. The Burtons also created an illegal trail through the National Forest to get to the timber, which resulted in additional damage to the area. As part of their plea agreement, the Burtons have agreed to pay $3,880 in restitution for the timber they unlawfully cut and removed from the National Forest and for the costs to restore the damaged area.

The charge of theft of government property is punishable by up to one year in prison, a maximum fine of $5,000, and up to one year of supervised release.

Sentencing is set for July 9, 2014, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.

The case was investigated by the U. S. Forest Service in John Day, Oregon.