Corey Lequieu pleaded guilty Thursday in Portland, Oregon to a federal conspiracy charge that he impeded law enforcement. He is the first to plead guilty in the 40-day occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge standoff.
But, Lequieu is still not fully cooperating with federal agents.
“It is not a cooperation agreement,” Lequieu’s defense attorney Rámon Pagán told reporters in Oregon, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. “He has not met with the government; he has no intention of meeting with the government; he is not providing testimony for the government.”
Pagán additionally told reporters in Oregon that his client would not get a lesser sentence because he cooperated with the government.
According to Oregon Public Radio, prosecutors will, however, drop two other charges Lequieu faced, which included “possession of a firearm in a federal facility and the use of a firearm related to a crime of violence.” He also won’t face any additional charges.
He will be sentenced in August.
Prosecutors had initially argued Lequieu was a ring leader in the month-long Oregon occupation. They recommend that he be sentenced to two and a half years in prison. OPB reported, however, that U.S. District Court Judge Anna Brown would not be tied to that recommendation.
