Yellowstone National Park

Fenn treasure hunter pleads guilty to Yellowstone cemetary vandalism

Yellowstone National Park

Fenn treasure hunter Rodrick Dow Craythorn pled guilty to charges of causing repeated damage to Fort Yellowstone Cemetery in 2019 and 2020 in a futile attempt to located the prize.

Technically, the Syracuse, Utah resident pled guilty to charges of excavating or trafficking in archeological resources, and injury or depredation to United States property in U.S. District Court on January 4, 2021. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 16, 2020.

The indictment alleged that Craythorn was found digging in the Fort Yellowstone Cemetery between October 1, 2019 and May 24, 2020 inside Yellowstone National Park while looking for the treasure buried by Forrest Fenn.

“The hunt for the Forrest Fenn treasure was often viewed as a harmless diversion, but in this caseit led to substantial damage to important public resources,” said US Attorney Mark Klaassen. “The Defendant let his quest for discovery override respect for the law.”

Excavating or trafficking in archeological resources carries a potential penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, and one year of supervised release. Injury or depredation to United States Property carries a penalty of not more than ten years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl accepted Craythorn’s plea and scheduled his sentencing on March 17, 2021 in Casper, Wyoming.

RELATED STORIES: Fenn treasure hunter indicted in Fort Yellowstone Cemetery ransacking; Yellowstone Hiker Fatality Last Summer Linked to Treasure Hunt

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