Two Colorado residents have been charged the ‘archaeological theft incident’, which took place the following May in Canyonlands National Park suspected burglary and stealing historical artifacts from the famous national park.
Roxanne McKnight, 39, and Dusty Spencer, 43, were charged this week in the incident, which occurred at the park on March 23, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah announced in a statement Monday. press release. McKnight and Spencer “entered a gated area of Canyonlands National Park, where they proceeded to handle and steal numerous historical artifacts preserved at the Cave Springs Cowboy Camp.”
McKnight and Spencer were caught on camera during the brutal act, but it took several months before they were identified. “In a video recorded in the archaeological site“The individuals entered an area signed as closed, removed artifacts from a cabinet and handled historic armor in a manner that could damage it,” police said in May.
Cave Springs Cowboy Camp is heavily secured, with fencing and multiple signs warning visitors not to enter the area, “which McKnight and Spencer ignored,” the law firm alleged. The camp contains artifacts from the camps of pioneer ranchers dating from 1800 to 1975. The defendants allegedly stole nearly $1,000 worth of artifacts, including antique nails.
McKnight and Spencer are accused of passing through or entering archaeological or cultural sourcespossessing or distributing cultural or archaeological resources, and theft of government property totaling less than $1,000. They are due in court on November 8.