Posted Wednesday, August 5, 2015 4:04 pm

REGIONAL—Ely resident Barney Lakner will spend 180 days in the Lake County Jail and could face an additional 13 months in prison based on the sentence handed down Monday in a Two Harbors courtroom.

According to Assistant Lake County Attorney Lisa Hanson, Lakner was taken into custody moments after Judge Michael Cuzzo read his sentence. In handing down the sentence, the judge rejected pleas by Lakner and his attorney for home monitoring, rather than jail time.

Lakner was convicted on a single felony charge of attempting to flee a peace officer as well as five misdemeanor charges stemming from a Jan. 11, 2014, snowmobile joyride deep into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where snowmobiling is banned.

Lakner will serve his jail time for his misdemeanor convictions. The judge stayed his longer sentence on the felony charge based on the recommendations of state sentencing guidelines. “I was satisfied with the sentence and the jury verdict in the case,” said Hanson. A Lake County jury took less than an hour in June to find Lakner guilty on all charges.

Lakner came to notoriety in 2007 when he led a group of young men from Ely on a summertime spree into the Boundary Waters during which the group terrorized wilderness campers. The group came to be known as “The Ely Six” in a case that drew national headlines. Lakner spent three years in prison for his actions on that day.

Lakner could still spend considerable time behind bars. While the judge stayed his sentence in the felony conviction, Lakner will remain on probation for the next three years and he will face the longer prison sentence should he violate any of the terms of his probation.

“That sentence will continue to hang over his head,” said Hanson. And I would hope we don’t see these kinds of offenses occurring in the Boundary Waters ever again.”