Hip hop is not a crime: Lyrics used as evidence in mink release case

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Satirical hip hop lyrics, more used as evidence in mink release case.

Since Animal Enterprise Terrorism charges were filed against Kevin Olliff & Tyler Lang in July, the FBI has released new information outlining the evidence against them.

Background

In August 2013, the pair were pulled over eight miles from a fox farm in rural Illinois. The night before, 2,000 mink were released from a fur farm several hours away, in Morris, Illinois. Both were charged with and plead guilty to “Possession of Burglary Tools” for various items found in their vehicle, the most “serious” of which was a pair of wire cutters.

A year later, in July 2014, the two were charged on the federal level on charges of “Animal Enterprise Terrorism” for the Illinois mink release.

New evidence unveiled last week

The lawyer for Kevin Olliff filed a motion for release on bail last week, prompting the government to file an 11-page response that gives the first glimpse into specific evidence being used against them. Among the most absurd: satirical hip hop lyrics and baseball hats.

The evidence

• “Animal extremist” publications.” Quote:

“A flash drive which contained two known and widely circulated publications amongst animal rights extremists. Agents reviewed the publications, which revealed that the authors of the publications advocated the release of minks and foxes from fur farms and also advocated vandalism of the farms. The publications set forth instructions on how to accomplish the release of the animals, including by suggesting the use of new bolt cutters for each act of vandalism, to turn off cellular telephones leading up to and during the act of vandalism, and to obtain police radio scanners to detect law enforcement presence in the area.”

• Lists of fur farms.
• “Cutting tools, bolt cutters, and smaller snips”
• Cell phones that records show were “turned off in the days leading up to the mink farm vandalism.”
• A radio frequency scanner. Quote:

“A search of the radio frequency scanner recovered from the vehicle determined that the radio had been set to detect radio frequencies used by law enforcement in both Morris, Illinois, and Woodford County, Illinois.”

• “Items consistent with committing a vandalism” (sic) including rubber gloves, ski masks, ball caps, bolt cutters, and miscellaneous cutters.
• Aircraft paint remover.
• Various books.
• “Mink fur” traces recovered from clothing.

The most outlandish of the claims

The most erroneous of the government’s claims is that acid, bleach and peroxide allegedly found in the car are “necessary components to build an incendiary device.” The specific quote:

Five bottles of muriatic acid; two bottles of Clorox bleach; one container of hydrogen peroxide. These substances taken together are necessary components to build an incendiary device.

A cursory Google search (which I don’t recommend on your home compuster) shows this claim to be completely false. These are simply not ingredients in incendiary devices.

The government doesn’t hesitate to use conspiracy charges against suspects, and if they could in any way substantiate their claim there was an arson plot, or even that the items found could be used in one, they would have done so.

Hip hop is not a crime: Satirical rap lyrics used as evidence

In an odd lack of concern for looking stupid, the FBI is attempting to use a handwritten note allegedly retrieved from Kevin’s pants pocket, containing satirical hip hop lyrics.

An (edited) sample:

“According to the courts, I’m doing something deeply illegal.

So many warrants I’m bored of ducking police vehicles.

The devil told me that I’m fundamentally evil.

I get my protein when I hunt and eat people.

Sicker than a vivisector stuck with a diseased needle..

My only vegan recipes start with gasoline and diesel.”

From court documents filed last week.

While the FBI has never been accused of having a sense of humor, or being versed in hip hop, they should either:

• Get clued in to traditional lyrical stylings of rap music, which these lampooning rhymes are consistent with, or-
• Be consistent and criminally indict every hip hop artist using criminal-themed fantasy lyrics since the beginning of recorded rap music in 1979.

The issue of rap lyrics being used in criminal cases has been put before the courts many times, as an NPR story from August covers well: “Court Says Rap Lyrics Can’t Be Used As Evidence In A Criminal Trial.”

To quote a lawyer interviewed in the above article:

“One would not presume that Bob Marley, who wrote the well-known song ‘I Shot the Sheriff,’ actually shot a sheriff, or that Edgar Allan Poe buried a man beneath his floorboards, as depicted in his short story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart,’ simply because of their respective artistic endeavors on those subjects.”

Later this year, the Supreme Court is set to take up this issue when it hears arguments in a case in which rap lyrics were used in a man’s conviction.

Other details revealed

The government is claiming 400 of the 2,000 mink released in Morris, Illinois were not recovered. These figures are always to be considered extremely suspect, as they originate from the fur farmers themselves.

The government motion also gives a look at the impact of even a “small” mink release, particularly the expense of lost breeding data, and that the financial impact of a mink release extends far beyond the animals not recovered:

Even for the recovered mink, however, the farmers were harmed in that they were unable to determine the original breed for re-sale. The damage to the mink, which was the sole livelihood of the farm, together with the physical damage to the vehicles, the barn, and the fence, devastated the farmers, resulting in a loss in excess of $125,000.

Kevin’s release uncertain

The judge has yet to rule on the dueling motions, which determine whether he will be released on bail at the conclusion of his state sentence on October 15th.

Stay up to date on developments in the case on the Support Kevin & Tyler website.

Kevin Olliff arrives at prison

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Animal liberation prisoner Kevin Olliff sentenced to a prison with a prisoner-run dairy and meat plant.

After a few weeks at a reception facility, where his communications were limited, Kevin arrived at his prison destination this week. And it’s a strange one.

Kevin was sentenced last month to 2.5 years in prison for possessing wire cutters and cammo clothing prosecutors say were to be used in the raid of a fox farm the night of his arrest.

Good news and bad news

The bad news is, Kevin is at a prison. And a good portion of the population works at on-site “dairy processing” and “meat processing” facilities.

The good news is, it’s a minimum security prison. Often animal liberation prisoners are sent to higher security prisons that are not consistent with their “crimes.” This happens in response to  prisoners whose crimes the prisons don’t understand, or to alarmist “terrorist” rhetoric in the media.

Prison has an on-site “meat processing” facility

It is a twist of cruel irony, the prison where Kevin was designated has an on-site flesh-processing plant, where prisoners process animal flesh for the prison system. There is also a dairy facility at the prison. View a video about all of this here:

He can receive mail again, so please send him a letter at his new address:

Note: Kevin’s legal name is “Kevin Johnson.”

Kevin Johnson
M42382
Vandalia Correctional Center
Post Office Box 500
Vandalia, Illinois 62471

Mail rules at Vandalia Correctional Center:

Here are the mail rules lifted directly from the Illinois State Prison’s website. They seem to indicate books can be mailed directly to prisoners, provided they are in the correct type of envelope.

“Inmates can receive correspondence, legal mail and publications, which are reviewed to determine whether they are obscene or constitute a danger to safety and security. The institutional Publication Review Committee reviews all publications that are not on the approved list, and will disapprove materials that do not meet criteria. Inmates can receive publications, including books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers and catalogs in accordance with department regulations. Inmates can receive publications from a vendor, friend or family. There is no limit through the mail. Publications brought to the facility shall be limited to 5 per visit.

Guidelines need to be followed for envelopes and packages.

• Envelopes that are padded with clear bubble wrap will be accepted. Envelopes that have this type of padding can be easily scanned.
• Envelopes padded with gray diamond dust and corrugated cardboard boxes mailed from family and friends will not be accepted and will be returned to the sender without being opened.”

Rebecca Rubin Sentenced to 5 Years for ALF & ELF Arsons

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After 7 years on the run, an ALF saboteur is sentenced for freeing horses, more.

After turning herself in in 2012 following 7 years on the run, and pleading guilty last October, this week Rebecca Rubin was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison. The sentence is much less than the 7.5 years the government was requesting.

In the media, the arson elements of her charges overshadowed the two actions in which she admitted to freeing wild horses from BLM corrals, where the horses were to be auctioned for slaughter.

Rubin was sentenced for four Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front actions:

•  Freeing 400 wild horses from a federal land management corral in Oregon as others set the property on fire (1998)
• Bringing gasoline to a ski resort under construction in Vail, Colo., later used to ignite fires that destroyed the ski complex (1998)
• Bringing incendiary devices to the Medford, Ore., office of U.S. Forest Industries, which were later used in an arson fire (1998)
• Freeing wild horses from a California BLM facility as others set fire to a barn (2001)

“Animals and the natural world have always been for me a source of profound joy, wonder and solace, and their mistreatment and destruction a source of indescribable pain. By way of trying to explain–but not excuse–my actions, I reached a point in my early twenties when I could longer contain or appropriately channel the grief, despair, and powerlessness I felt in response to the mistreatment of animals and the natural world.”

Largest fox farm in U.S. named as target of “burglary tool” conspiracy

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Prosecutor’s name the Aeschleman fox farm as the intended “burglary target” of Kevin Olliff and Tyler Lang.

Since the arrest of Kevin Olliff and Tyler Lang for “possession of burglary tools,” one thing was suspiciously missing from the prosecution’s case: A target. At no point was the intended “burglary” target named, adding another layer of absurdity and farce to the case, where two activists were charged with possessing “burglary tools” merely for having wire cutters in their vehicle.

Last week, Kevin Olliff was sentenced to 2.5 years on these charges. Towards the end of his case, the prosecution finally revealed their theory (unsubstantiated by evidence) as to where Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff were headed that night: The Aeschleman fox farm, in Roanoke IL.  The two were pulled over in Roanoke, allegedly a short distance from the farm.

The Aeschleman fox farm is notable for two reasons: It is believed to be the largest fox fur farm in the US (or was – see below). And it was the location of among the only footage ever taken of animals being killed on a fur farm, as the target of a PETA investigation in the 1990s.

The same week the Aeschleman farm was named in Kevin Olliff’s case, the Coalition Against Fur Farms named a new fox farm, also in Illinois, that may replace the Aeschleman farm as the largest fox farm in the country. There is not enough information to make it conclusive, but the writeup on this new farm can be read here.

There is recent information that the Aeschleman fox farm is still open. And so far, it remains untouched by the Animal Liberation Front.

Endnote: Updated prison address for Kevin

Note: Kevin’s legal name is “Kevin Johnson.”

Kevin Johnson
M42382
Vandalia Correctional Center
Post Office Box 500
Vandalia, Illinois 62471

Activist Sentenced to 2.5 Years for Wire Cutters

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Kevin Olliff receives 30 month sentence for possessing fur farm “burglary tools”.

Tuesday, Kevin Olliff accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 2.5 years in Illinois prison. The only allegation against him was possessing tools the prosecution claimed were intended to be used to “burglarize” a fox farm.

With credit for time served, and Illinois’ “half time” credit, Kevin is expected to be released in 10 months.

This is a significantly harsher sentence than the one received by co-defendant Tyler Lang, who received a sentence of time served and was released in November. It has been speculated Kevin’s history of arrests for animal rights activity made him a more appetizing target for the prosecution, translating to a longer sentence (Kevin served time in California on “stalking” charges for his role in the successful campaign against POM Wonderful).

Background

Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff are two Los Angeles animal rights activists who were arrested in rural Illinois in August for “possession of burglary tools.” After a traffic stop in which they refused consent to a police search, their car was searched anyway. Inside, police allege they found bolt cutters, wire cutters, muriatic acid, ski masks, and cammo clothing. Prosecutor’s allege the items found were intended to be used to target a nearby fur farm.

A case that moved from generic burglary to animal liberation

The case had numerous turns, including the prosecution claiming to have a neighbors surveillance footage from a mink farm raid that happened elsewhere in Illinois the night before his arrest (along with Tyler Lang).

While it was clear from day one the prosecution was using their history as animal rights activists against Tyler and Kevin, it wasn’t until more recently this became explicit.

First, the prosecutor stated his intention to use the Morris, Illinois mink release (which occurred the night before their arrest) to build a circumstantial case that Kevin Olliff intended to use the items found in his car to target a fur farm.

Later, the prosecutor named a specific fur farm he believed Kevin and Tyler intended to target the night of their arrest.

In the end, the government made it explicit: They intended to try Kevin Olliff for a full-blown conspiracy to raid a fur farm.

Government desperate for an arrest

The last six months of 2013 saw 10 fur farm raids and not a single arrest. It’s clear the government took a special interest in Kevin and Tyler  in the absence of their ability to catch the ALF. Despite nearly all of the fur farm raids occurring after their arrest, the government appeared willing to settle for something symbolic (arresting animal rights activists at night in the rural Midwest) vs. actual success apprehending the Animal Liberation Front.

Transported to prison

Kevin was taken from Woodford County Jail almost immediately after his sentencing, and transferred to a reception facility in Joliet. He is expected to stay there for a month, before being transported to an actual prison. During this next month, his ability to make phone calls is limited, though he can receive (but not send) mail. His new address will be posted as soon as it is known.

What you can do

This outcome, while not ideal, would not have been possible without the legal maneuvering of Kevin’s legal team, a group of hard working activist attorneys from Chicago (and one Woodford County attorney). Kevin’s support fund is still badly overdrawn from legal fees, and several thousand more dollars are needed to pay the attorneys.

Please consider organizing a fundraiser for Kevin, or donating directly to his legal defense.

Donate here.

Check the Support Kevin & Tyler site for frequent updates, to donate, and all the latest.

New attempt to link Illinois mink release to jailed activist

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After new allegations, donations needed for Kevin Olliff.

The case of a jailed animal rights activists took a new turn last week when the prosecutor made clear his intent to use an Illinois mink release against Kevin Olliff, jailed for “possession of burglary tools.”

Kevin is not being charged with the August 14th Illinois mink release. However the prosecution now intends to use this action to build a circumstantial case that the items found in Kevin Olliff’s car were to be used in a “burglary.”

The  release of 2,000 mink occurred elsewhere in Illinois the night before he was pulled over with codefendant Tyler Lang in rural Illinois. The Animal Liberation Front did not take credit for the raid.

If this is confusing, here is the point put another way:

“The indication is [the prosecution] will use this raid to circumstantially support a case Kevin intended to commit ‘burglary’ against another fur farm.” -from the Support Kevin and Tyler website.

This appears to be an underhanded way to use a crime against someone in court when there is not enough evidence to actually charge them with it.

Another development: Prosecutor names the intended “burglary” target

Also unveiled last week, the prosecutor named a specific fur farm as the intended “burglary” target the night of Kevin Olliff’s arrest. Prior to this, Kevin was being charged with “possession of burglary tools” without a specific target being named. It’s not yet know which fur farm is being named, only that a particular farm will be alleged as the intended target of a “burglary” the night of his arrest.

Donations needed.

After months of speculation as to allegations in Kevin’s case, he is now in no uncertain way an animal liberation prisoner. And he needs our help.

Kevin has been very fortunate to have dedicated activists attorneys fighting his case, however funds are needed to see the case through and guaranteed the most favorable outcome. A good defense can mean the difference between prison time and walking free, and supporters of Kevin are doing a fundraising push to raise the needed funds.

What you can do

• Share Kevin’s Indiegogo fundraising page on your website or social media page.
• Donate.

And don’t forget to write Kevin a letter:

Kevin Johnson #4565
Woodford County Jail
111 E Court St.
Eureka, IL 61530

Jailed animal rights activist goes on hunger strike in Illinois

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Update, November 1st: After 8 days without food, the book ban was lifted and Kevin ended his hunger strike.

Kevin Olliff is on hunger strike until the Woodford County Jail book ban is reversed.

Background: Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff are two Los Angeles animal rights activists who were arrested in rural Illinois for “possession of burglary tools.” After a traffic stop in which they refused consent to a police search, their car was searched anyway. Inside, police allege they found bolt cutters, wire cutters, muriatic acid, ski masks, and cammo clothing.

Police believe these items were “burglary tools” intended to be used in a crime, and arrested Kevin and Tyler. The two are held on felony charges which carry up to 3 years in prison. They have remained in jail since their arrest on August 14th.

From Support Kevin and Tyler (.com)

“It has been over 6 weeks since Michael Waterworth banned all books from entering the Woodford County Jail. The psychological toll of life in a cell without any way to pass the time has been nearly insufferable, as they are forced to waste away without even the most basic form of mental stimulation.

Today Kevin announced that he is prepared to go without food until the book ban is lifted. The hunger strike is effective as of midnight, Wednesday night.

What you can do

Continue to call Michael Waterworth and the jail repeatedly, this time with the added word of caution that they will soon have a sick and dying prisoner if they do not undo the ban. Kevin is prepared to go the distance and not eat until the jail allows prisoners access to books.

• Jail: 309-467-2116
• Sheriff Pierceall: 309-467-2375

Why did the jail ban books?

The ban was instituted hours after Tyler & Kevin’s book wish list was posted online. The book ban was not the result of any rule violation or taken as a practical measure, and appears to be purely punitive in response to the attention Kevin & Tyler have received.

The jail’s only attempt at an explanation has been to say the jail library is full. This transparent attempt to distract from the issue does not even address the book ban, in which books are no longer allowed to be mailed in directly to prisoners. The capacity of the library is not at issue.

How lawless is Michale Waterworth and his jail?

• They have banned books.
• They admit they read attorney-client privileged mail between prisoners and their lawyers.
• They steal outgoing mail which documents prisoner abuse.
• They lie to the media and concerned people who call the jail.

Who is responsible?

A proud law man (who does not respect the actual law) named Michael Waterworth is solely responsible for implementing the draconian ban on books. He is also responsible for allowing guards to read attorney-client privileged mail, and all other abuses taking place. He lied to Tyler & Kevin that he would undo the book ban if they were patient, placating them long enough for the media attention to die down, at which point he reneged on his promise.

Addressing Michael Waterworth’s lies, preemptively.

Please note Michael Waterworth is telling the media and others that the prisoners have access to a library of books. This is 100% false and has been confirmed repeatedly by Tyler & Kevin over the past 6 weeks.

Some jail staff have stated that they do not read and don’t understand why prisoners would want books. The jailers being openly illiterate goes a long way towards explaining why a jail would deny prisoners books, and the culture of ignorance Tyler & Kevin are now at the mercy of.

Please continue to call the jail and the media

It is crucial we continue to put a spotlight on the out of control Woodford County Jail. Demand Kevin, Tyler, and all prisoners are allowed access to books, and that the community in Woodford County is aware of the stain on them

• Jail: 309-467-2116
• Sheriff Pierceall: 309-467-2375

Write Kevin and let him know he is supported during this hunger strike

While Kevin is on hunger strike and enduring this difficult struggle to reclaim a basic right, please send him letters of support.

And please include in every letter internet printouts of interesting articles or other material he can read (they can receive reading material printed off the internet).

(And don’t forget about Tyler).

Note Kevin’s legal name is Kevin Johnson.

Kevin Johnson #4565
Woodford County Jail
111 E Court St.
Eureka, IL 61530

Tyler Lang #4564
Woodford County Jail
111 E Court St.
Eureka, IL 61530″

Rebecca Rubin pleads guilty to freeing horses and setting fires at wild horse corrals

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ALF prisoner expected to serve 5 to 7.5 years for freeing horses, setting fires at two government facilities.

Earlier this year, Rebecca Rubin turned herself in after 7 years on the run. She was wanted for Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front arsons as part of what was dubbed the “Green Scare case”, in which 13 people were charged with nearly 20 fires.

This week, Rebecca Rubin plead guilty to participating in and/or planning four arsons:

• 1997: Freeing 400 wild horses and setting fire to a U.S. Bureau of Land management corral in Burns, Oregon. (Claimed by the Animal Liberation Front)
• 1998: Participating in the planning of a fire at a Vail ski resort in Colorado.
• 1998: Fire at the headquarters of U.S. Forest Industries in Medford, Oregon (claimed by the Earth Liberation Front)
• 2001: Freeing horses and setting fire to a BLM horse and burro corral at Litchfield, California. (Claimed by the Animal Liberation Front)

Rubin was a fugitive for 7 years. Reportedly, she was set to turn herself in as early as 2009, however prosecutors would not agree to any plea agreement that did not involve Rubin implicating her codefendants, which Rubin refused to do.

According to her plea agreement, the government will not ask the judge for a sentence longer than 7.5 years. Her sentencing is set for Jan. 27

Of the 13 charged, two remain fugitives: Joseph Dibee and Josephine Sunshine Overaker.

Two activists arrested with “burglary tools” in rural Illinois

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Animal rights activists held in jail for allegedly possessing wire cutters.

Los Angeles animal rights activists Kevin Olliff and Tyler Lang have been arrested in rural Illinois, charged with felony “possession of burglary tools.”

These are the facts of the case that are known right now:

Kevin Olliff and Tyler Lang

Kevin Olliff and Tyler Lang were subsequently arrested for “possession of burglary tools.”  The police have not made any statement as to what they believe the intended “burglary” target was, and Kevin & Tyler were not arrested on anyone’s property. Their history as activists appears to be the sole basis for the charges.

Their new support site cautions that details on the arrest are still emerging :

“Many details are not known, and there are some we cannot post publicly yet.”

They face a maximum of 3 years in prison.

To recap

• They were not arrested in the commission of a crime.
• They were not arrested on anyone’s property.
• They were not arrested near the scene of any crime.

Their only “crimes” are being known animal rights activists in (alleged) possession of wire cutters.

Exorbitant bail amounts set

Shortly after their arrest bail was set. After the prosecutor asked for much lower bail amounts, the judge went beyond the prosecution’s request and set bail at $100,000 for Tyler Lang, and $200,000 for Kevin Olliff.

These amounts are far above normal. In Illinois, $15,000 is the standard bail for Class 4 felonies.

The two remain in Woodford County Jail, pending the outcome of a bail reduction hearing in the future.

How you can help

A support site has been set up to post updates on Kevin and Tyler’s case. Right now, here’s what you can do:

Repost their support site link: The Support Kevin and Tyler site is up and will be updated regularly.

Send books: Mail rules at the Woodford County Jail are considerably more reasonable than most larger jails. Anyone can put any book into an envelope and send directly to Kevin or Tyler (both softcover and hardcover). Their book wish lists are posted here.

Update: Hours after their book wish list was posted, the jail announced that all books are banned from Woodford County Jail. in a jail with less than 20 prisoners,  this is a transparent attempt to target Kevin & Tyler. Check the Support Kevin and Tyler site for updates.

Send letters: Anyone can correspond with them via email or written letters. With email, prisoners at Woodford County Jail must send the first email. To start an email correspondence, first send a written letter with your email address and they will email you a response.

(Note: Kevin’s legal name is “Kevin Johnson”)

Kevin Johnson #4565
Woodford County Jail
111 E Court St.
Eureka, IL 61530

Tyler Lang #4564
Woodford County Jail
111 E Court St.
Eureka, IL 61530

More updates to come

There are many details which will be coming out in the near future, and they will be posted here.

Activist Jailed for Mink Farm Break-In Released Early

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Victor VanOrden released after serving only three months of his five year sentence.

Awesome news: Victor has been granted parole and should be released today. In February he received an exorbitant sentence of five years for the “crime” of cutting a fence and opening a single cage at the Circle K Fur Farm in Sioux City, Iowa. This week, the judge granted Victor parole, reducing his sentence by over 90%.

His codefendant (and wife) Kellie received a 30 day sentence for the same action. She was released last month.

Kellie and Victor’s case was somewhat unusual in that it was prosecuted on the state level, and not federal. Generally, the feds prefer to take politically charged and / or very high profile cases – particularly animal liberation or eco-sabotage cases. There can be advantages and disadvantages to each, depending on the specifics of a crime, although generally federal cases carry much longer sentences. In this case, Victor and Kellie were fortunate to be charged not just by the state, but a state which has parole, allowing them to be free after serving relatively short sentences.

Welcome home.

In the coming days, I’ll be posting new details that have not been made public about the events that led to their arrest.

In the meantime, view an aerial image of the Circle K Fur Farm.

Activist Released After Jail Sentence for Attempted Mink Release

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Kellie Marshall finishes her 60 day sentence for an attempted fur farm raid in Iowa.

Quick note to announce that Kellie Marshall has been released after her (relatively) brief sentence for cutting fences and releasing one mink at the Circle K Fur Farm in Sioux City, Iowa.

Her codefendendant (and husband) Victor VanOrden received a vastly greater sentence of five years for the same incident. In Iowa, first time “offenders” serve approximately 50% of their sentence. Victor’s sentencing judge also indicated she may consider resentencing Victor to less time, though this is not guaranteed.

The Circle K Fur Farm was first raided in 1997. 5,000 mink and 100 fox were released in that action.

Welcome home Kellie.

Write Victor a letter of support:

VICTOR VANORDEN DOC#6916264
NORTH CENTRAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
313 LANEDALE
ROCKWELL CITY, IA 50579

Activist Receives 60 Days in Attempted Iowa Mink Farm Raid

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Kellie Marshall sentenced to 60 days in attempt to release mink from Iowa fur farm.

After her arrest at the Circle K Fur Farm on October 10th, Kellie Marshall finally resolved her case March 13th and received unexpectedly short sentence of 60 days. She pleaded guilty to releasing an animal from an animal facility and attempted third-degree burglary.

Although no animal escaped the perimeter fencing, some reports state that a cage was opened and a single animal released within the fence.Victor and Kellie were arrested after tripping alarms at the farm, and being apprehended in the property behind the farm after a foot chase.

This is the second time there was an action at the Circle K Fur Farm. The first occurred in 1997, when 5,000 mink and 100 foxes were released.

View a satellite image of the farm here.

Kellie is expected to be released in late-April. Her six month sentence may be considered a favorable outcome, after her co-defendant Victor VanOrden received a sentence of 5 years for the same incident.

VanOrden is eligible to apply for parole in May. At that point, the judge may review his sentence. The judge made statements in court that a revision of the five year sentence is a “possibility”.

Please read the many updates at the Support Kellie and Victor website, including how to email Victor, mail rules for both prisoners, how to donate to their commissary fund, Victor’s Amazon wish list, and more.

Write both of them a letter of support:
Victor VanOrden #6916264A
North Central Correctional Facility
313 Lanedale
Rockwell City, IA 50579

Kellie VanOrden
c/o Woodbury County Jail
PO Box 3083
Sioux City, IA 51101