THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES

VAFB trespasser avoids six-month jail term
5/15/03
By NORA K. WALLACE
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

An Ojai man who deliberately trespassed at Vandenberg
Air Force Base in March avoided a six-month jail term
this week.

Sanderson Beck received a six-month suspended sentence
after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick
Walsh on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Mr. Beck, a self-proclaimed Democratic presidential
candidate, was among the group of about 40 people who
protested silently during a day-long demonstration at
Vandenberg on March 22. Two women were also arrested
and charged with trespassing; they have court hearings
next month.

Mr. Beck will be on probation for two years, though
he's said repeatedly that he would not accept
probation. Mr. Beck also received 60 hours of
community service on a separate charge.

Mr. Beck's sentencing follows a six-month term given
to another protester, Guadalupe Catholic Worker Dennis
Apel. Mr. Apel was sentenced to federal prison for
throwing four ounces of his blood at Vandenberg's
entrance sign in protest of the Iraq war.

Vandenberg officials have painted a green line on the
asphalt near the main gate; it marks the point where
they believe demonstrating becomes trespassing. Mr.
Beck and the women strode across the line, and were
promptly arrested by military police.

As he was led away, Mr. Beck screamed at the Air Force
personnel, "You are murdering the people of Iraq . . .
You people are war criminals . . . People need to rise
up and nonviolently protest."

Two days after his first arrest, Mr. Beck returned to
Vandenberg and crossed the green line again. He was
arrested, and spent the following month in the Los
Angeles Detention Center.

In a letter to the judge, Mr. Beck called himself an
"honest messenger" trying to expose "illegal war mass
murders."

Mr. Beck said he plans to attend a protest Saturday at
Vandenberg, but is uncertain if he will trespass and
face another arrest.