Two Colorado residents have been charged in connection with an “archaeological theft incident” that occurred in Canyonlands National Park in May. After allegedly breaking into a famous national park and stealing historical artifacts.
Roxanne McKnight, 39, and Dusty Spencer, 43, were charged this week in connection with the March 23 incident at the park, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Utah announced in a press release Monday. McKnight and Spencer “entered a fenced area of Canyonlands National Park, where they seized and stole numerous artifacts stored at the Cave Springs Cowboy Camp.”
McKnight and Spencer were caught on camera performing this brazen act, but it took several months to identify them. “In video recorded at the archaeological site, individuals entered an area marked closed, removed artifacts from cabinets, and handled historic harnesses in a manner that potentially damaged them,” law enforcement officials said in a May statement.
The attorney's office alleged that Cave Springs Cowboy Camp was heavily guarded, with fencing and numerous signs warning visitors not to enter the area, “which McKnight and Spencer ignored.” The camp contains artifacts from pioneer cattle ranchers' camps from 1800 to 1975. The defendants allegedly stole approximately $1,000 worth of artifacts, including antique nails.
McKnight and Spencer are charged with trespassing on or entering archaeological or cultural resources, possession or distribution of cultural or archaeological resources, and theft of government property totaling less than $1,000. The next hearing will be held on November 8.