2 men in Southern California pleaded guilty to killing 3 protected wild burros in Mojave Desert.

Two men in Southern California have pleaded guilty to killing three wild burros in the Mojave Desert. John Feikema and Christopher Arnet used high-powered rifles and night vision goggles to target the animals in a remote area in November 2021. Both men pleaded guilty to one felony count of possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle and one misdemeanor count of maliciously causing the death of a burro on public lands. Wild burros are protected under federal law and are an iconic symbol of the American Southwest.