COURT RESULTS - Busted @ Rucky Chucky Camp...

[CApicker]

Thank you for following the tread: Busted @ Ruck-a-Chuck Middle Fork Camp. Community input please?

The Hearing was yesterday in the Placer Courts and I'm starting a different thread so that I can share this experience we had with all of you. If you didn't read the previous post please catch up on it before reading this.

RANGER FAIL!

The original charge of Rock Hounding was changed via certified mail days after my friend was given a ticket on the river to a more general charge...

We show to court and end up in a room of folks with various State Park violations from fishing at night to dogs on leashes to, us - rockhounding

Everyone who appears in front of the judge gets an immediate reduction of charges.

We hear my buddies case and the charges are confusing to the judge and dropped immediately to $10.00 WTF

I would say EPIC WIN for CA Prospectors but in reality we all lose...

Here is what I mean:

If you are a CA tax payer you should be aware that it took 3 Rangers 3 hours each @ at least $20.00 per hour to give a $10.00 TICKET!!! Bottom line is it cost hundreds of your tax dollars to give a lousy ten dollar ticket
That is your State taxes at work..!

There is also a court assessment fee that they absorb from everyone who comes through the door for $106.00 so the court wins no matter what.

Bottom line is:

To all Prospectors - if a Ranger approaches you it is only to add $$$ to the County vault - if you pack up and leave there is little chance he will or can follow you. And above all do not be intimidated by local Rangers; their jurisdiction and knowledge of the laws is marginal at best...

Finally it is the Prospectors who helped to create the beautiful roads and trails that are enjoyed today, and it is the Prospectors who assist in cleaning the rivers and streams of fishing weights, bird shot, nails, screws, and various hardware and view the rivers and streams as the precious environment that it is. Be proud to be a Prospector!

Oh and just for s#its and giggles we had time to drop into the MF on the way home and made our gas money back FTW! Here is part of our take

 

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[goldenmojo]

Sorry they got even $10.00 from you but they can't let the revenue stream go. You won as much as you were going to win. Congrats on that. I hope that beautiful color you collected afterward came from the very hole they cited you at. Thanks for keeping everyone posted.

 

[Aufisher]

What a scam. It's disgusting! Thanks for the update.

 

[CApicker]

Thanks guys... The Gold was from my summer spot that continues to rock, although I definitely plan to follow up on the hole in question and hope I run into Ranger Raft while I'm there so I can tell him how worthless his ticket book is! It looked like he was about to have a stroke just getting 10 feet from the water when he came up on my buddy. He had foamy white spitt on the sides of his mouth like a meth-head so I think he was about to pass out. Maybe that's why he got assigned to "Raft Duty"

 

[TheGoldProspector]

Thank you for following the tread: Busted @ Ruck-a-Chuck Middle Fork Camp. Community input please? The Hearing was yesterday in the Placer Courts and I'm starting a different thread so that I can share this experience we had with all of you. If you didn't read the previous post please catch up on it before reading this. RANGER FAIL! The original charge of Rock Hounding was changed via certified mail days after my friend was given a ticket on the river to a more general charge... We show to court and end up in a room of folks with various State Park violations from fishing at night to dogs on leashes to, us - rockhounding Everyone who appears in front of the judge gets an immediate reduction of charges. We hear my buddies case and the charges are confusing to the judge and dropped immediately to $10.00 WTF I would say EPIC WIN for CA Prospectors but in reality we all lose... Here is what I mean: If you are a CA tax payer you should be aware that it took 3 Rangers 3 hours each @ at least $20.00 per hour to give a $10.00 TICKET!!! Bottom line is it cost hundreds of your tax dollars to give a lousy ten dollar ticket That is your State taxes at work..! There is also a court assessment fee that they absorb from everyone who comes through the door for $106.00 so the court wins no matter what. Bottom line is: To all Prospectors - if a Ranger approaches you it is only to add $$$ to the County vault - if you pack up and leave there is little chance he will or can follow you. And above all do not be intimidated by local Rangers; their jurisdiction and knowledge of the laws is marginal at best... Finally it is the Prospectors who helped to create the beautiful roads and trails that are enjoyed today, and it is the Prospectors who assist in cleaning the rivers and streams of fishing weights, bird shot, nails, screws, and various hardware and view the rivers and streams as the precious environment that it is. Be proud to be a Prospector! Oh and just for s#its and giggles we had time to drop into the MF on the way home and made our gas money back FTW! Here is part of our take <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1063859"/>

I would say; double edged. You still had to pay the Ranger's wage, to come to you..
What a waste.

Glad it didnt end up worse

 

[cazisme]

If the charges are confusing to the judge shouldnt he have dropped them completely?

 

[fishnfacts]

I would have plead not guilty. It sounds like "Ranger Raft" wasn't there and therefore you would have had all charges dropped. No $10 fine and one in the win column for prospectors.

 

[goldenmojo]

I would have plead not guilty. It sounds like "Ranger Raft" wasn't there and therefore you would have had all charges dropped. No $10 fine and one in the win column for prospectors.

Not in California

 

[Aufisher]

A state that worships miners. Note the miner, pick, pan, shovel, diggins and rocker box that sits above the judge in the state seal.

 

[goldenIrishman]

LOL Didn't you know that the Sierra Club and the CBD have filed suit against the state of California to have those items removed from the state seal? They're doing so under the premise that it shows that the state supports pollution of the waterways.

I would have fought that ticket tooth and nail. Sure they only hit you up for $10 and fighting it most likely would have cost more, but it's the principal of it all. California has a habit of fining you for anything and that has got to stop. I saw the direction it was heading years ago and got my tuckus out of there.

 

[CApicker]

Wow that's crazy about the State Seal! They better not remove the Prospector... see how deep he is standing in his hole? Funny I don't see any Rangers on the Seal.
GoldenIrishman - It would have been an honorable fight and likely my buddy would have won if he did fight it but yes costly for sure. The Judge told the whole room that if you do choose to plea innocent they will set a date for a Jury-less trial and no public defense can be offered so you must retain a private attorney. So again it would be decided by a judge and not a jury and they still could do what they want. You're right about the direction Cali is heading.

 

[Oakview2]

The judge was as wrong as the ranger. The Constitution guarantees Due process, that means a trial before your peers with counsel provided by the government if you cannot afford. Your friend didn't do himself or anyone else any favors by accepting fine. JMHO

 

[NeoTokyo]

Im poor enough as it is, I would have accepted the fine too.

If I had money I would go dredging every day and fight the tickets, but I don't have money, that's why the majority of us have not done anything, because we don't have the money to fight.

I also have 3 little girls, even with money this makes it harder to fight the good fight.

 

[Oakview2]

We all have financial obligations, and limitations, each much choose if they are going to stand up, or stand down. I choose to stand up, all must take their own path, and I can certainly understand the circumstances. That is why I prefaced my post with in my humble opinion But the facts are is that if you are in the right, at some point someone has to stop this or they will continue to trash our rights with regularity.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Have any of the major mining outfitters ever donated funds for lawyers to miners fighting?
Their income is directly connected to the problems that we are facing.

 

[Oakview2]

Just go down the list of PLP raffle donations, Keene, Minelab, Fisher, Whites, as well as many smaller companies and individuals. A individual from our area has donated a ounce of gold every year.

 

[Terry Soloman]

The PLP is a joke, and so is the token support offered by the big equipment companies. Without an influx of millions of dollars, this is no more than a pipe dream, and has been from the start. If you want to dredge, take your chances. If you want to ***** about getting your rights stolen, join the growing club.

 

[gunflintguy]

ok, I'll bite, what club are you talking about?

 

[Oakview2]

PLP has gotten has gotten the state to the table, with the Rinehart Premeption opinion published, next season we will be back in the water. Some of us have never left, and some of you in Arizona, have little water to dredge
They are a 501 3c and all donations are public record. I would aasume since you have such a strong opinion about who has donated what, that you have researched these companies contributions.

The PLP is a joke, and so is the token support offered by the big equipment companies. Without an influx of millions of dollars, this is no more than a pipe dream, and has been from the start. If you want to dredge, take your chances. If you want to ***** about getting your rights stolen, join the growing club.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Hey Neo,

I can understand your feelings since you have a family to take care of. This is something that I don't have to worry about and that's why I'd have fought that ticket to the bitter end.
IMHO This is part of the tactics being used against the American people by those that are bent on taking our rights away from us. They know that the majority of the people have families to take care of and so they make it so we can't afford to fight them as well as take care of our loved ones. Thus it falls to a few to do what should be the work of many. It's even worse if an individual is trying to make a living at mining. With unsure wages, possible fines looming overhead just for trying to make a buck and a gold market that is being controlled by a few individuals instead of the actual market, mining isn't the best choice now days as a means of supporting a family.

It all boils down to how much we are going to let them get away with. How many more of our rights are going to have to be taken away from us before the general public wakes up and smells the coffee? With elected officials siding with big business and their rich friends instead of the people, none of us are going to get a fair shake. Mining and miners are important to our way of life. Loose either one out of the equation and see just how long things keep running!!!