As mentioned here already, Tim DeChristopr was given a prison sentence in federal court in Utah today for an act of civil disobediance that disrupted a BLM oil lease auction that the Bush Administration tried to sneak in on their way out the door.
(1) Two aspects of the case really struck me (well three, because at least there is no mention in the press of restitution). Mr. DeChristopher was taken into custody immediately upon being sentenced, instead of being allowed to self surrender to the Bureau of Prisons, as is the firmly established precedent here in Utah. This means that he was also not allowed to petititon for release on appeal while still outside of custody, and pretty much everyone else also gets that. (Full sentnce: 2 years imprisonment, $10,000 fine, 3 years supervsed relase.)
and
(2) Kane County (deep southern Utah) Commissioner Mike Noel lead an act of civil disobediance on BLM lands that consisted of openly and notoriously leading a large contingent of OHV riders up a pristine stream bed that clearly was clearly marked as being off limits for them. This happened about a year ago, and definitely subsequent to the DeChristopher case being filed. To date, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah has brought no charges in the Mike Noel matter.