New Hampshire Man Sentenced To Over Seven Years In Prison For Conspiracy To Commit An Offense Against The United States And Interstate Travel In Aid Of Extortion During 2014 Armed Standoff In Bunkerville, Nevada

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A New Hampshire man who conspired with Cliven Bundy and others during an April 2014 armed standoff over Bundy’s trespassing cattle on public lands was sentenced today to 87 months in prison.

Acting United States Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI Las Vegas Division, and Acting Director Michael D. Nedd of the Bureau of Land Management made the announcement.

Gerald A. DeLemus, 62, of Rochester, N.H., pleaded guilty on Aug. 25, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and one count of interstate travel in aid of extortion. In addition to the prison term, United States District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro sentenced DeLemus to three years of supervised release.

According to the plea agreement, on or about April 8, 2014, during a telephone conversation with co-defendant Cliven Bundy, DeLemus agreed to assist Bundy by bringing firearms and other gunmen from New Hampshire to Nevada to support Bundy. DeLemus admitted that when he travelled to Nevada, he joined in a conspiracy with Bundy and others to display force and aggression in order to influence federal law enforcement, thereby impeding or interfering with law enforcement’s official duties. On April 12, 2014, in furtherance of the conspiracy, at least one member of the conspiracy assaulted federal law enforcement officers by brandishing a firearm while the officers were performing impoundment operations in order to intimidate the officers and to instill in them fear and apprehension of immediate bodily injury or death. The armed assault forced the federal law enforcement officers to relinquish their custody of the impounded cattle to Bundy and members of the conspiracy.

DeLemus further admitted that, from April 13, 2014, and for weeks thereafter, in furtherance of the conspiracy, he provided personal security to Bundy and other conspirators, organized and led other gunmen in conducting patrols and manning security checkpoints, called for others to travel to Bunkerville, as a show of force in support of Bundy, and displayed firearms and made public statements to show and threaten force in order to influence a public officer.

The case was investigated by the FBI and BLM. The case was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Dickinson and Nadia J. Ahmed, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Creegan.

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