From the Valley Courier (Ruth Heide):
In a rare court action yesterday, Chief District/Water Judge Pattie Swift sentenced Gregg Sease to 30 days jail and ordered $160,320 in fines and fees for contempt of court in a water case.
Sease is to report to the Saguache County Jail this evening to begin his sentence, which will be completed on work-release status under arrangements with Saguache County Sheriff Mike Norris.
Within 120 days, Sease must also pay: punitive sanction to the court, $50,000; fees for the state’s attorneys, $61,920.50; and remedial sanction to the court, $48,400, based on a $100-per-day fine from May 12, 2012 to Sept. 8 of this year.
The water case against Sease involved the illegal creation of 86 structures, obstructions or impoundments (ponds) in Sheep Creek, a tributary to Saguache Creek. Sease, a Denver-area businessman, owns a ranch on Sheep Creek.
Swift had scheduled a four-day contempt of court trial to begin this week, but the parties reached an agreement that was filed on Friday, Oct. 25.
More Rio Grande River Basin coverage here.