The legal saga of environmentalist Tim DeChristopher ended this week when a federal judge sentenced the Utah man to two years in prison for interfering with government auctions of energy leases.

 

In 2008, DeChristopher crashed a federal sale of oil and gas leases. He bid $1.8 million for 77 parcels of public lands totaling 150,000 acres designated for drilling. His inability to pay for the leases resulted in the Department of Justice taking him to court. In March, he was convicted of two felonies: making a false statement and violating laws on oil and gas leasing.

 

DeChristopher was not allowed to testify about his motivations for his actions. U.S. District Judge Dee Benson acknowledged “a place for civil disobedience,” adding: “But it can’t be the order of the day.”

 

In addition to the prison sentence, DeChristopher was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

 

He could have received up to 10 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.

 

“My intention, then as now, was to expose, embarrass and hold accountable the oil industry to the extent that it cuts into the $100 billion in annual profits that it makes through exploitation. I actually intended for my actions to play a role in the wide variety of actions that steer the country toward a clean energy economy where those $100 billion in oil profits are completely eliminated.” DeChristopher told the court during his sentencing.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Activist Who Faked Utah Energy Lease Bids Sentenced to 2 Years (by Ashley Powers, Los Angeles Times)

I Do Not Want Mercy, I Want You To Join Me (by Tim DeChristopher, Common Dreams)

In Danger of Prison for Bidding at a Natural Gas Auction as a Protest (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Utah Jury Convicts Environmentalist Who Bid on Oil Leases (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Activist Who Bid on Oil Leases Faces 10 Years in Prison (by David Wallechinsky and Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)