On December 7, 2005, one of the largest roundups of environmental and animal liberation activists in American history began. Using the code name Operation Backfire, the FBI issued a search warrant, soon afterwards people were being arrested. By May 18, 2006, a final Superceding Indictment was issued. (View a comprehensive chart of all the charges) on July 20 Thurston, Tubbs and Tankersley entered guilty pleas that included a stipulation of continued cooperation. On July 21 Meyerhoff, Gerlach and Savioe did the same.

On November 8, 2006, Jonathan Paul, Daniel McGowan, Nathan Block and Joyanne Zacher entered pleas agreeing to accept responsibility for their own roles, but not to provide information or testify against anyone now or in the future. Please check out each individual to see the actual agreements.

On May 15, at 10AM oral arguments on the application of the Sentencing Guidelines terrorism enhancement for all defendants (Could add up to 20 years to sentences) will begin.

May 5, 2007, the governement releases its Sentencing Memorandum.

Dates for FBI Informants:
May 22, 9AM: Stanislas Meyerhoff
May 24, 9AM: Kevin Tubbs
May 25, 9AM: Chelsea Gerlach
May 29, 9AM: Darren Thurston
May 31: Suzanne Savoie (9AM)
& Kendall Tankersley (1:30PM)

Dates for Non-Informants
June 1, 9AM: Nathan Block & Joyanna Zacher
June 4, 9AM: Daniel McGowan
June 5, 9AM: Jonathan Paul

All hearings will take place in the Wayne L. Morse Federal Courthouse in Eugene (211 E. 7th Avenue), Judge Ann Aiken’Äôs courtroom. You’Äôll need ID to get in. If the courtroom fills up, the hearings will be shared via a video feed to another room.

Joseph Dibee, Josephine Overaker and Rebecca Rubin are also included in the governments indictment but are at large.