Ryan Bundy, one of the leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation, has been placed in disciplinary housing at the Multnomah County Detention Center.
The county sheriff's office said Bundy tried to avoid being handcuffed and threatened staff Tuesday.
Around 6 a.m., jail staff were preparing Bundy for a transport with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Cpt. Steve Alexander declined to say where Bundy was going, but said the occupation leader became argumentative with deputies when they tried to remove him from his cell.
“He was definitely resisting the transport,” Alexander said.
As a sergeant went to handcuff Bundy behind his back, Bundy turned around on the sergeant, Alexander said.
“The sergeant ended up using force to get him down to the ground so they could get him handcuffed, and at that point inmate Bundy kept his arms underneath him," Alexander said. "The sergeant called back up and a couple other deputies arrived and they ended up getting him handcuffed."
Bundy family members and Nevada State Assemblywoman Michele Fiore took to social media to complain that Bundy had been "beaten."
Following the incident, Bundy was taken to be seen by the jail’s medical staff before being transported to the Marshals Service.
Bundy returned to the jail around 1 p.m., Alexander said. He’s been written up for disruptive behavior, failure to do as ordered and threatening and assaulting staff.
A federal judge had previously ordered Ryan Bundy and his brother Ammon Bundy to be housed together so they could work jointly on their defense strategy. The judge had granted the brother’s request over the objections of the Multnomah County Jail.
The brothers are being held in pretrial detention for their roles in the Malheur occupation.
The incident is the latest in a series of recent confrontations for Ryan Bundy.
Jail staff said earlier this spring that Bundy braided bedsheets and hid them under his mattress as part of an escape attempt, an accusation Bundy has denied.
Bundy also filed paper work with federal court in Oregon stating he is a sovereign citizen and not subject to U.S. law.
Ryan and Ammon Bundy, along with six others, are scheduled to go to trial Sept. 7.
Copyright 2016 Oregon Public Broadcasting
