COTTONWOOD (KMHL) – Two men have been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay more than $1 million dollars in restitution for shooting at and rupturing a pipeline near Cottonwood in April of 2019.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Eric Weckworth-Pineda, 25, of Cottonwood, and 21-year-old Tanner Sik (sheek) of Ivanhoe caused the pipeline to rupture after firing several shots at it on April 24, 2019.
Magellan Midstream Partners L.P., who owns the pipeline says the rupture caused more than 3,900 gallons of diesel fuel to spill into the Yellow Medicine River and cost more than $1.1 million to clean up and repair.
In addition to one year of probation, the men were ordered to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution.