Tourists Hit With Federal Charges After National Park Theft

Two Colorado residents have been charged in the “archaeological theft incident,” which occurred in Canyonlands National Park back in May after allegedly trespassing and stealing historical artifacts from the famous national park.

Roxanne McKnight, 39, and Dusty Spencer, 43, were charged this week for the incident, which occurred on March 23 in the park, the United States Attorney’s Office of the District of Utah announced Monday in a press release. McKnight and Spencer “entered a fenced-off area of Canyonlands National Park where they then handled and stole numerous historic artifacts preserved in the Cave Springs Cowboy Camp.”

McKnight and Spencer were caught on camera during the brazen act, but it took several months to identify them. “In a video recorded at the archeological site, the individuals entered a signed-as-closed area, removed artifacts from a cabinet, and handled historic harnesses in a manner that had the potential to damage them,” law enforcement said in May.

Cave Springs Cowboy Camp is heavily protected, with fencing and multiple signs warning visitors not to enter the area, “which McKnight and Spencer disregarded,” the attorney’s office alleged. The camp holds artifacts from the camps of pioneer cattle ranchers dating from 1800 until 1975. The defendants allegedly stole nearly $1,000 worth of artifacts, including antique nails.

McKnight and Spencer are charged with walking on or entering archaeological or cultural resources, possessing or distributing cultural or archaeological resources, and theft of government property totaling less than $1,000. They are next due in court on Nov. 8.