Prosecution of South Dakota ranching family dropped; USDA opens portal for similar complaints

At a news conference, Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that federal prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maud, a fifth‑generation ranching family from Pennington County, South Dakota, and said USDA has opened a portal for farmers and ranchers to report similar alleged "lawfare."

The Mauds had faced criminal allegations tied to grazing on about 25 acres adjoining Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. "They will not be jailed. They will not be fined," Rollins said, adding that the administration is "ending regulation by prosecution in America" and will investigate how the case occurred.

The announcement matters because it resolves the immediate criminal threat to the family and signals an administrative response for other landowners who say they were unfairly prosecuted. Charles and Heather Maud run roughly 400 acres, raise about 250 head of cattle and approximately 40 sows, and said a long‑standing, informal grazing arrangement with the Forest Service existed while a formal boundary survey was expected but never completed.

Rollins said USDA has launched a portal at USDA.gov "for all American farmers, ranchers, and producers who are subject to similar egregious lawfare from the Biden administration," and that the case will be discussed in upcoming cabinet meetings. She credited pro bono counsel Brett Tolman and named several members of Congress and state officials who intervened on the family's behalf.

Kristi Noem, identified in the event as the secretary of homeland security and a former governor of South Dakota, described prior efforts to stop the prosecution and said her written requests to the prior administration were ignored. "That letter was completely ignored," Noem said, recounting contacts with then‑Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

South Dakota officials including Governor Roden and U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, Rep. Dusty Johnson and Rep. Harriet Hageman spoke in support of the Mauds. Governor Roden said the family had faced penalties "up to a quarter million dollar fine and 10 years in prison," and said he and others had quietly pressed for relief before the change in administration.

Speakers at the event framed the case as an example of federal overreach; some urged statutory or administrative reforms. Rep. Rounds said he has introduced legislation to create a formal mediation process between private landowners and the Forest Service. Rollins said Forest Service leadership and processes will be reviewed as part of broader reforms.

The family — Charles, Heather and their children — appeared at the podium and thanked supporters. Charles Maud said, "I just thank all of you for being here and all that you've done to help us." Brett Tolman, who represented the family pro bono, said he and other lawyers will continue to help similar clients.

Officials described three distinct outcomes: the criminal prosecution has been dropped (formal outcome announced by Rollins), USDA has opened an online portal to collect reports of similar cases (administrative action/direction), and several speakers called for legislative or procedural changes to prevent future prosecutions in boundary or grazing disputes (discussion and proposed direction).

Rollins and other officials did not cite a specific statute or case name that produced the charges; they described the matter as a prosecution of alleged "theft of government property" tied to the boundary dispute. No hearing, court order, or specific prosecutorial document was presented at the event.

USDA's portal address was given as USDA.gov; officials said the portal is intended to gather reports and that cabinet officials will review cases. Beyond that, speakers described follow‑up actions in general terms — investigations of how the prosecution occurred and an internal review of Forest Service practices — without laying out a binding enforcement timeline or statutory change.

Reporters at the event asked whether federal agencies will audit prior cases; Rollins said the administration is reviewing past matters and will continue discussions with cabinet colleagues. Noem and other officials urged affected landowners to come forward through the USDA portal.

The announcement settles the Mauds' immediate legal exposure but leaves open questions about how many other cases will be reviewed and what specific procedural or legal reforms will follow. USDA, the Department of Homeland Security and members of Congress who spoke said they will pursue follow‑up steps but did not provide a detailed timetable.