Jon Ritzheimer Pleads Guilty In Oregon Refuge Standoff Case

Jon Ritzheimer – a leader of the 41-day Oregon refuge standoff– has pleaded guilty to impeding “federal officers through intimidation, threats or force,” according to a report from the Oregonian Monday.

The 32-year-old Arizona resident was considered one of the leaders of the standoff at the federal Malheur wildlife refuge. He told a federal judge Monday when he submitted his guilty plea that he was part of the “plan to take the protest to the next level,” according to the Oregonian.

Ritzheimer is the 11th person to plead guilty to charges arising from the standoff. He faces between 30 and 37 months in prison. Ritzheimer faced additional charges, including carrying a firearm at a federal facility, but those charges will be dropped, according to the Oregonian.

Ritzheimer is a well-known anti-government activist who threatened a citizen’s arrest of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for supporting the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran. He has also been a vocal anti-Muslim activist who has staged “draw Muhammad competitions.” TPM reported in November that he made threats against the predominately Muslim community of Hancock, New York.

According to the Oregonian, Ritzheimer’s role in the standoff was to work as a bodyguard to brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy in the standoff as well as pick up the mail.