Rim Fire Suspect Charged

[Weiserbucks]

You can view the indictment and search warrant on the Union Democrat web site , I don't know how to post a link

 

[eelgrass]

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/News/Local-News/Rim-Fire-suspect-named-and-charged

Rim Fire suspect named and charged

Written by Austen Thibault, The Union Democrat August 07, 2014 12:37 pm


The U.S. Attorney's Office in Fresno charged Tuolumne County resident Keith Matthew Emerald with a four-count indictment for starting the 2013 Rim Fire.
Emerald, 32, of Columbia, is charged with felony setting timber afire and lying to government agents about it and misdemeanor leaving a fire unattended and violating a fire restriction.

The indictment alleged that on Aug. 17, 2013, Emerald kindled a fire in the Stanislaus National Forest and allowed the fire to spread beyond his control. At the time, temporary fire restrictions were in place that prohibited fires.

Emerald was rescued by helicopter from the extremely remote Clavey River Canyon with bow hunting equipment. He allegedly lied about starting the fire.

He could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each setting timber afire and giving false statements to a government agency. Leaving a fire unattended and violating a fire restriction each carry a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court and could vary, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Emerald is expected in federal court soon.

 

[BuckSWATer]

Thx for the info update. That whole Rim Fire area is STILL closed...

Adversity does not build character, it reveals it - Audaces Fortuna Juvat

 

[Wiszard]

I'm sure he'd like a do-over...

Cancer doesn't discriminate...don't take your good health for granted because it can be gone in a heartbeat. Please go back and read the last line. This time really understand what it says.

 

[Califelkslayer]

But the way the media originally wrote it, you'd of thought the fire started because of hunting.