Judge throws out 2 charges against indicted FBI agent

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A federal judge has thrown out two of the five charges against an FBI agent who allegedly lied about firing two rifle shots at the truck of an Oregon refuge occupation spokesman at a roadblock in January 2016.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones on Monday struck one count of making a false statement and one count of obstruction of justice against W. Joseph Astarita.

Astarita, in a trial set to start next week, still faces two counts of making a false statement and one count of obstruction of justice in the incident in which he allegedly fired two errant shots at the truck driven by Robert “LaVoy” Finicum.

Astarita has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Finicum, who was shot and killed by Oregon State Police troopers at a roadblock, was a spokesman for the Ammon Bundy-led group that took over the refuge to oppose federal control of land in the Western U.S.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com