Snowboarders Fined, Given 2 Years’ Probation

Two men convicted last week of snowboarding out of bounds during a February outing at Snow Crest were sentenced Friday to two years’ probation and fined $810 each by Glendale Municipal Judge Barbara Lee Burke.

But the issue of whether they should repay the costs of a search effort, totaling $23,000, still looms for Claudio Maluje, 28, and Patrick Jenks, 24.

After the men’s disappearance, rescue workers tracked them through ravines around the ski resort 30 miles north of Glendale in a search that lasted more than 24 hours.

“I’m satisfied with the sentence so far,” said Lonnie Felker, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the men. “But the big question is whether they should pay the restitution.” The restitution hearing is scheduled for Aug. 11.

Maluje and Jenks could not be reached for comment Friday, but they argued throughout their trial that they did not knowingly leave the designated ski area, a misdemeanor trespassing charge.

Felker said he had offered to settle out of court with the men but the men refused.

Maluje said during the trial that he and Jenks could have settled with Felker for a few hundred dollars, but refused because doing so would have meant pleading guilty.

“We didn’t do [the offense], so we didn’t settle,” he said.