Prosecutors had sought a maximum sentence of 73 years for Gregory Burleson after he was convicted of threatening and assaulting a federal officer, obstruction and traveling across state lines in aid of extortion.
But Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro in Las Vegas knocked five years off the recommendation, noting that the 53-year-old Burleson has gone blind, has serious health issues and was once an informant for the FBI.
Burleson's attorney, Terrence Jackson, said he will appeal.
'Scare and bullying tactics'
Navarro said she believed Burleson and other armed men used "scare and bullying tactics" to put federal agents in such mortal fear that they abandoned attempts to enforce court orders to round up Bundy cattle in April 2014
Navarro said the government employees suffered lasting psychological harm as a result of the encounter.
"Even though a shot was not fired," the judge declared, "the injuries were very real."