Wilde Found Guilty of Three Misdemeanors

A federal magistrate has found a 71-year-old Central man guilty of three misdemeanors for his actions when National Park Service rangers tried to inspect his boat on the Yukon River last year. Magistrate Scott Oravec issued a written opinion Tuesday, convicting Jim Wilde of interfering with agency functions, violating a lawful order and operating an unregistered boat. He was found not guilty of disorderly conduct. Wilde will be sentenced Oct. 28 in Fairbanks. His arrest in September 2010 sparked a controversy over whether rangers overstepped their authority when pointing a gun at Wilde's boat and then threatening him with a Taser. Download Audio