Judge orders wolf trespassing case to federal court
Associated Press
CHEYENNE (AP) – A U.S. District judge has ordered that a criminal trespass case against a federal wolf biologist be moved to federal court.
The order halted Tuesday’s scheduled arraignment of Mike Jimenez in state court in Cody, according to Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric.
Skoric said he will challenge the order issued last Friday by U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson.
“The alleged incident occurred in Park County, and a Park County jury should hear the case,” Skoric said.
A rancher near Meeteetse found Jimenez and another man with four tranquilized wolves on his private land on Feb. 14.
Jimenez is charged with trespassing and littering.
A private contractor, Wes Livingston, of Cody, faces the same charges in the incident. Livingston, who also is asking that his case be moved to federal court, pleaded innocent at his arraignment Tuesday, Skoric said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has said Jimenez and Livingston inadvertently landed on the private land while working to place radio tracking collars on the wolves.
Wolves are a touchy subject because ranchers fear for their livestock, and news of the complaint against Jimenez led some to charge Fish and Wildlife with secretly trying to transplant the wolves into the area.
Trespassing and littering are misdemeanor counts that carry maximum penalties of up to $750 in fines and six months in jail.