Date: 08-30-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Jason Reed

Case Number: 1:16-cr-00180-REB

Judge: Ronald E. Bush

Court: United States District Court for the District of Idaho (Ada County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Christian Samuel Nafzger

Defendant's Attorney: Rob Lewis

Description: Boise, ID - Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of Historic Trapper Cabin

Jason Reed, 22, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty to destruction of government property.

Reed admitted that in August of 2015, he caused extensive damage to the Trapper Cabin. The Trapper Cabin is a government owned historic property located at the French Creek Trailhead on the McCall Ranger District of the Payette National Forest, in Valley County, Idaho. Reed advised Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush that he broke out the cabin’s windows, wrapped a winch cable from his father’s ATV around the deck of the cabin, and pulled the deck off its foundation. He then admitted to wrapping the winch cable around a log on the corner of the cabin and pulled the two bottom logs, causing the cabin to partially collapse.

The Trapper Cabin was built in 1936 and is one of two cabins left in Idaho that were built and utilized for predatory control by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was built in the Rocky Mountain style log cabin, using peeled lodge pole pine logs and mud chinking. It is the only cabin on the Payette National Forest that was built in this style. Prior to the damage caused by Reed, the cabin was in good condition and was eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cost to restore the cabin is $31,919.20. Reed has agreed to provide restitution in full.

The charge of destruction of government property is a class A misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service.

Title 18 U.S.C. 1361 provides:



Whoever willfully injures or commits any depredation against any property of the United States, or of any department or agency thereof, or any property which has been or is being manufactured or constructed for the United States, or any department or agency thereof, or attempts to commit any of the foregoing offenses, shall be punished as follows:

If the damage or attempted damage to such property exceeds the sum of $1,000, by a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both; if the damage or attempted damage to such property does not exceed the sum of $1,000, by a fine under this title or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

Outcome: Guilty

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: