[14] Less than two hours later, a fire erupted, forcing the hunters to leave the area but also intending to conceal evidence of the deer herd slaughter.

[17] The 2006 Krumbo Butte fire started out as a wildfire, but several illegal backburns were set by the Hammonds with an intent of protecting their winter feed.

[15][16] Two days later, Steven Hammond threatened to frame a BLM employee with arson if he didn't terminate the investigation.

During a break in jury deliberations, partial verdicts were rendered, convicting them on two counts of arson on federal land.

[18][20][21][22] Judge Hogan independently decided that sentences of that length "would shock the conscience" and would violate the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

The appellate court upheld the mandatory-minimum law, writing that "given the seriousness of arson, a five-year sentence is not grossly disproportionate to the offense."

[20][24] Both of the Hammonds reported to Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island in California on January 4, as ordered by the court.

[26] A few days earlier, the Hammonds also paid the federal government the remaining balance on a US$400,000 court order for restitution related to the arson fires.