When Federal Land Enforcement Turns Civil Disputes Into Crimes
How a routine land dispute with the U.S. Forest Service escalated into felony charges
Most land disputes between a farmer and the government begin and end as civil issues. A survey gets ordered, lawyers get involved and eventually, someone writes a check or a boundary gets adjusted.
That’s not what happened with the Maudes.
It’s Good Friday in 2024, Charles and Heather Maude, whose family has worked the same land for FIVE GENERATIONS had two U.S. Forest Service agents show up at their home unannounced. The issue, they were told, was a no trespassing sign and a section of fence that might not be perfectly aligned with a federal boundary.
The Maudes complied and removed the sign immediately. They agreed to meet to discuss and propose multiple legal paths to resolve the issue, including land swaps, special use permits, and the Small Tracts Act — a federal tool specifically designed for isolated parcels like this one.
Federal agents just showed up…there was no survey, no clear boundary, and no announcement. This was already abnormal and the Maudes went above what was required from them from the start.
Then things escalated.
Within weeks, a Forest Service agent entered their private property without permission, drove survey stakes through a planted field, and declared, without an authorized survey, that he had “found the line.” When the family pushed back and involved local law enforcement and congressional staff, communication stopped.
Days later, the agent arrived at their home again…now with criminal indictments.
Four felony counts for theft of government property.
The escalation ladder for this case is insane. A routine land question, handled cooperatively by the landowners, was transformed into a federal criminal prosecution without a survey, without a civil ruling, and without evidence of intent.
The precedent that was trying to be set here should alarm anyone who owns land near federal property.
This video documents the Maudes’ firsthand account of how a disputed fence line turned into criminal charges, the rapid escalation ladder, and how quickly things can spiral…all the while you’re doing what you’re “supposed” to do.
Watch the full video below: