Tyler Lang and Kevin Johnson Jailed

Two Californian animal rights activists, Tyler Lang and Kevin Johnson, have been sentenced to jail time recently for their involvement in freeing 2,000 mink from an Illinois fur farm. The judge noted that over 500 of the animals were found dead by the next morning.

Tyler Lang, who was sentenced on 23rd March 2016, was sentenced to three-month prison term of time already served, as well as six months home confinement, six months community confinement and one year of supervised release. The judge also demanded restitution payments of $200,000 to be paid to the farm's owners. Lang has previously been involved in demonstrations outside the homes of UCLA scientists, which the Assistant US Attorney described as "harassment".

Kevin Johnson, also called Kevin Olliff, was sentenced to 3 years (including time already served). This sentence in part reflected his more extensive criminal history. Like Tyler, he was demanded to make payments of $200,000 to the fur farm owner. Johnson had been arrested for shoplifting and inciting a riot while on parole, his laptop also contained personal information on scientific researchers and their family. 

Kevin Johnson (left) and Tyler Lang (right). Image from WLS-TV

According to the Chicago Tribune:

"When police stopped them two days later, they were just a few miles from a fox farm in Woodford County that they planned to sabotage as well, authorities said. Among the items seized from Johnson's vehicle were five bottles of muriatic acid, two bottles of bleach and a container of hydrogen peroxide, all ingredients for a homemade incendiary device."