One of the live video recordings on Facebook by Marcus Frejo who was taken into custody on Wednesday by law enforcement showed questionable acts to detain Native Americans at DAPL protest areas.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
September 16, 2016
Mandan, N. Dakota - The Morton County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) has released information that as of September 15 at least 68 people including Native Americans have been taken into custody and charged for illegal protest activities including criminal trespassing, felony reckless endangerment for chaining themselves to DAPL construction equipment, disorderly conduction, conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment, obstruction of government function and conspiracy to commit obstruction of government function. About 600 law enforcement officers including state police from around the state have assisted the Morton County Sheriff's Office in arresting Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protesters or water protectors who have stopped DAPL construction of the pipeline in order to protect their Missouri River water source from a crude oil spill once it is operating.
Yesterday more than 336,000 gallons of gasoline spilled from a Colonial Oil pipeline that exploded affecting two states and both Alabama and the State of Georgia have declared a State of Emergency to deal with the gas spill disaster.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and more than 300 other tribes have joined in solidarity to stop the DAPL construction in North Dakota to prevent a crude oil spill as well on the Missouri River, which is the life line and freshwater source for the tribes.
The Obama administration has stopped all DAPL crude oil pipeline construction on federal lands within 20 miles from the Lake Oahe, but DAPL construction continues on private lands where Native Americans have been protesting and stopping construction by chaining themselves to construction equipment.
A majority of a three circuit judge appeal panel on Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted an emergency injunction pending appeal for the Dakota Access Pipeline to halt pipeline construction within 20 miles from each side of the Oahe Lake. A schedule appeal hearing is pending in the case of appellants Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe v. U.S. States Army Corps of Engineers and Dakota Access Pipeline, LLC. Judge Janice Rogers Brown descended and both Thomas B. Griffith and Cornelia T.L. Pillard decided to grant emergency motion for an injunction.
Allegations have been raised that the Morton County Sheriff's Office investigators have been confiscating cellphones and deleting video footage from people arrested who were doing live streaming on Facebook or video recording protests including some alleged illegal activity by law enforcement. The Morton County Sheriff's Office or the N.D. State Police have denied or confirmed the allegations made that they have deleted video footage showing them engaging in illegal activity and violating the rights of Native Americans at DAPL construction sites.
The following people were arrested and charged on September 14.
• Wanikiyewin Loud Hawk, 32, from S. Dakota, charged with one felony count for reckless endangerment and misdemeanor counts for disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and obstruction of government function
• Nicholas Tilsen, 34, from S. Dakota charged with one felony count for reckless endangerment and misdemeanor counts for disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and obstruction of government function
• Daniel Tseleie, 34, from Canada charged with one felony count for reckless endangerment and misdemeanor counts for disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and obstruction of government function
• Morgun Frejo, 23, from W. Virginia charged with conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit obstruction of government function
• Marcus Frejo, 38, from Oklahoma charged with conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass-second offense and conspiracy to commit obstruction of government function
• Zena Bizahaloni, 37, of Arizona charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass
• Heather Horsefall Milton, 38, of Canada charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of government function and criminal trespass
• Kaden Walksnice, 23, Montana charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct
According to the MCSO, the Morton County State Attorney's Office filed trespassing charges against Elliot New Holy Jr., Greg Grey Cloud, Mason Redwing and Marcus Frejo for trespassing on September 3. Frejo was arrested on Wednesday at another DAPL protest and warrants have been issued for Holy, Cloud and Redwing.
The following people were arrested and charged on September 13 in Morton County during a protest against DAPL.
• Olowan Martinez, 42, SD - Criminal trespass + wanted in Nebraska for Terroristic threats, theft, criminal mischief x2
• Nicholas Georgiades, 34, MN - Criminal Trespass
• Charlie Thayer, 31, MN - Criminal trespass
• Kristina Golden, 31, MN - Criminal trespass
• Dale Americanhorse, Jr., 26, SD - Criminal trespass second offense
• Kathryn Thunderhawk, 44, SD - Criminal trespass
• Robert Swimmer, 25, SD - Criminal trespass
• Philip Strickland, 28, VT - Criminal trespass
• Christopher Schiano, 26, CO - Criminal trespass
• Carlo Voli, 50, WA - Reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, obstruction of a government function
• Kimberly Smith, 32, AZ - Criminal trespass
• Lauren Roellig, 28, CA - Criminal trespass
• Juaquin Moreno, 27, NM - Criminal trespass
• Emily Weisbery, 26, WA - Criminal trespass
• Brittany Johnson, 28, OR - Criminal trespass
• Corey Maxa, 23, VA - Reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, obstruction of a government function
• Orion Yazzie-nightwalker, 29, NM - Criminal trespass
• Eli Damm, 33, WA - Criminal trespass
• Eric Lewis, 25, NM - Criminal trespass
• Karla Lorenzanaayala, 26, CA - Criminal trespass
• Eric Moll, 27, TX - Criminal trespass
• Anthony Fernandes, 37, WA - Criminal trespass
• Arnold Schorder, 37, OR - Criminal trespass