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Two men found guilty of trespassing at Groom Lake base

Two Utah men accused of crossing a military border near the classified Groom Lake base were found guilty of trespassing Wednesday in Pahranagat Valley Justice Court.

Jason Winget and Ryan Chivers of Salt Lake City were hiking to a viewpoint overlooking the once-secret base on Dec. 1, when they were detained by two unidentified Nellis Air Force Range security officers.

Those officers then summoned Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Doug Lamoreaux, who arrested them on the misdemeanor charges.

The defendants, both college students, represented themselves in court.

Despite their arguments that they believed they were on public land at the time of their arrest, Justice Nola Holton found them guilty of the trespassing charges and fined them each $600.

Winget and Chivers have not decided whether to appeal their convictions.