Trump Administration Drops Charges Against South Dakota Couple Over Land Dispute

CRESTON, S.D. — The Trump administration announced it is dropping the government’s pursuit of a South Dakota ranching couple who were indicted last summer on charges they stole federal land.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture had accused Charles and Heather Maude of fencing off about 50 acres of land in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands that bordered the family’s ranch.

The Maudes claimed their family had managed the land since the 1910s.

The husband and wife, who operate a small cattle and hog operation, were each facing up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

“The Maudes are not criminals. They have worked their land since the early 1900s and something that should have been a minor civil land dispute that was over and done with quickly turned into an overzealous criminal prosecution on a hardworking family that was close to losing their home, children and livelihood. Not in this America, not under President Trump,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a statement released by USDA.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller also released a statement supporting the decision.

“The U.S. Department of Justice's choice to dismiss the criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude is a long-awaited action that highlights the damage caused by the Biden Administration’s harmful federal overreach. This marks a significant triumph for land rights, the diligent families that sustain this nation, and basic common sense. The Maudes, as fifth-generation ranchers, have responsibly managed their land for many years under the supervision of the very agency that sought to portray them as criminals.

This was never a criminal matter; it was a land use disagreement that should have been resolved through dialogue and respect, rather than threats of prison and financial ruin. What occurred in South Dakota serves as a chilling reminder of how easily bureaucratic power can spiral out of control and jeopardize the livelihoods of honest agricultural producers.

I am thankful that under the Trump Administration, the rights of rural Americans are finally being honored, and sensibility has returned to our national government. The Maudes' fight was a battle for all of us who still believe in property rights, due process, and basic fairness.”