Oregon ranchers who prompted militant takeover surrender to authorities: report

Steven and Dwight Hammond, the Oregon ranchers whose sentencing on arson charges spurred a militant group's takeover of a federal building, turned themselves in to authorities on Monday evening, CNN reported.

The duo's attorney, W. Alan Schroeder, had stated to Harvey County Sheriff David Ward that the group, led by anti-government rancher Ammon Bundy, was not acting on their behalf, despite its allegations to the contrary.

Bundy, who has argued that his group's seizure of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is part of its call to undo federal ownership of public land, was also criticized earlier in the day by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which said in a statement that it "can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis."