South Dakota ranchers Charles and Heather Maude faced potential 10-year prison sentences over a 75-year-old fence line dispute with federal authorities, until the Trump administration stepped in to dismiss the Biden-era charges that nearly tore their family apart.
Key Takeaways
- The Biden administration prosecuted fifth-generation South Dakota ranchers Charles and Heather Maude over a decades-old fence line, threatening them with 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
- The family had maintained a legitimate grazing permit on the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands since purchasing their farm in 1910, with a 60-year formal agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.
- The Trump administration dismissed all charges at a Washington D.C. press conference, with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins calling it a case of government overreach against innocent Americans.
- The case began when a Forest Service agent in tactical gear served indictments to the family over what should have been a minor civil dispute about grazing rights on 25 acres.
- A new USDA website has been established to address unfair and politically motivated legal actions against American farmers and ranchers.
Family Ranch Targeted By Federal Prosecutors
For five generations, the Maude family has worked their 400-acre cattle ranch in South Dakota. Their roots in the land date back to 1910 when they purchased the farm and obtained grazing rights on what eventually became the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. What began as a routine complaint about a fence line escalated into a nightmare when federal prosecutors under the Biden administration indicted the couple for “theft of federal property,” threatening prison time that would have separated them from their young children.
The dispute centered on a 25-acre section of grassland where the Maudes had maintained a fence line for approximately 75 years. Despite holding a federal grazing permit in good standing for nearly six decades, the family found themselves facing devastating criminal charges rather than a civil resolution. Forest Service agents arrived in tactical gear to serve indictments, transforming what should have been an administrative matter into a criminal prosecution with potentially life-altering consequences.
Secretary Rollins: "This is a fifth-generation South Dakota ranching family named the Maudes. Under the This family was indicted, prosecuted, over threatened with jail time over a fencing dispute by the Biden DOJ. This morning, all criminal charges were dropped." pic.twitter.com/1ARk3guVM0
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 30, 2025
Federal Agents “With Guns A-Blazing”
According to reports, a Forest Service agent in tactical gear served the indictments to the Maudes, shocking the family. Rep. Harriet Hageman, who was instrumental in bringing the case to the attention of the new administration, condemned the approach. The Wyoming Republican has been outspoken about federal overreach and the misuse of law enforcement resources against American citizens.
“That is not the way our government should be treating our citizens. You don’t come in with guns a-blazing with two young people with two young children and say we’re going to give you 10 years in prison,” said Hageman.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem reportedly attempted to intervene on behalf of the Maudes but was ignored by the Biden Administration. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council had also supported the family in seeking a resolution, highlighting concerns about the federal government’s approach to disputes with landowners who use public grazing lands.
Trump Administration Intervenes
In a dramatic reversal of fortune, the Trump administration announced the dismissal of all charges against the Maudes during a press conference in Washington, D.C. The announcement, made by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, was attended by the Maude family, Rep.Hageman, and other officials who had rallied to the family’s defense.
“This family, targeted over what should have been a minor civil dispute over grazing rights on 25 acres of public land, was prosecuted — credibly threatened with jail sentences so extreme that they were told to find alternatives to raise their young children,” said Rollins.
Rollins made it clear that the dismissal was part of President Trump’s directive to “put Americans first” and assured other farmers and ranchers facing similar government actions that they would receive support. Attorney General Pam Bondi further emphasized that the Department of Justice would redirect resources toward prosecuting criminals rather than pursuing what many viewed as politically motivated cases against rural Americans.
Family Expresses Relief and Gratitude
Speaking at the press conference, Heather Maude expressed profound gratitude to the administration officials who intervened to end the prosecution. The family had been living under the shadow of potential imprisonment, with the devastating prospect of being separated from their children. The Maudes highlighted their deep roots in American agriculture, emphasizing their commitment to working the land responsibly.
“When this unnecessary grievance came to our family, we knew that we were innocent of any wrongdoing,” Heather Maude said with emotion. “We sought to find a resolution, and that was not forthcoming from the other side.”
Industry representatives and land use advocates have pointed to the Maude case as emblematic of deeper problems in the relationship between federal agencies and the Americans who work with them. Kaitlynn Glover of the Public Lands Council noted that the case had “a chilling effect on ranchers’ trust in federal land management agencies” and demonstrated the “imbalance of power between family ranchers and a formidable federal government.”
