Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — An Oregon man has been sentenced to 130 days in jail after pleading guilty to misconduct in two national parks, including harassing a bison that had stopped traffic in Yellowstone National Park.
Raymond Reinke’s crimes drew national attention when at least one Yellowstone visitor caught his interaction with a bison on video.
Reinke, of Pendleton, Oregon, pleaded guilty Thursday during a federal court appearance in Mammoth, Wyoming.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Carman sentenced him to 60 days in jail for harassing wildlife, 60 days for interfering with law enforcement and 10 days for disorderly conduct, ABC Fox Montana reports . He was given credit for 21 days served.
Reinke, 55, is banned from Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier national parks for a five-year probationary period during which he is not allowed to drink alcohol. He also must undergo chemical dependency treatment.
He apologized for his actions.
“I’m sorry to the buffalo. He didn’t deserve what I did to him,” Reinke said.
In the video, Reinke is seen walking up to a bison in a roadway congested with stopped cars and waving his arms. The animal charges him a couple times, but he was not injured.
A federal prosecutor described Reinke’s behavior as the most egregious case of animal harassment they’d seen in Yellowstone.
The judge told Reinke: “You’re lucky the bison didn’t take care of it, and you’re standing in front of me,” Carman said.
Reinke was first cited for public intoxication and interfering with law enforcement in Grand Teton National Park. He spent a night in jail before posting a $500 bond. A few days later he was cited in Yellowstone for intentionally disturbing wildlife and having an open container of alcohol, but rangers there were unaware of the conditions of his bond, which required him to remain law-abiding and avoid alcohol.
Reinke was arrested Aug. 3 in Glacier National Park after his bond was revoked in the Grand Teton case. Rangers found him causing a disturbance in Glacier, as well, but he was not cited.
The public intoxication charge from Grand Teton was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.