Two Tourists Threatened with Prison Due to Damaged 140 Million Year Old
Holiday Ayo - Rock Formation Two male visitors were charged and will stand trial for allegedly damaging ancient rock formations at Lake Mead, located in the states of Nevada and Arizona, United States (US).
Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States. It is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity.
The two men, namely Payden David Guy Cosper and Wyatt Clifford Fain, were charged on Friday (23/8). However, both of them pleaded not guilty to one of the charges, namely confiscation of government property.
According to allegations in the indictment and a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, on April 7, 2024, the men pushed a chunk of an ancient rock formation onto the edge of a cliff near the Redstone Dunes Trail in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, causing more than $1,000 in damage.
“There was no sign posted at the entrance that prohibited pushing rocks or that it was a federally protected site," said Ross Goodman, an attorney representing Cosper, as reported by CNN.
“Mr. Cosper had no knowledge whatsoever that pushing a large rock was illegal until US Marshalls showed up (at) his home four months later," Goodman said in a statement to CNN.
Brian Pugh, the attorney representing Fain, said, "The justice system assumes that all those accused of crimes are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise in court."
As for Fain, a jury trial is set for October 8, 2024. The defendants could each face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada.
According to the US Attorney's Office, the National Park Service is investigating the case. The men were arrested by the United States Marshals Service.
Park rangers asked for the public's help last April to identify the suspect in the incident, which was captured on video.
The damage to the protected rock formation turned out to be irreversible. This rock formation was formed over time from sand dunes that are 140 million years old.
The two men were thought to not care about these ancient rock formations. Recreation area spokesman John Haynes called the damage to the rock formations horrific.
He couldn't believe that someone would destroy such beautiful nature.
“It's one of my favorite spots in the park and they're out there just destroying it. I don't understand that," Haynes said last April.
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