An NPS concession employee came upon recent damage to a rock art panel below Glen Canyon Dam last June and reported it to a park interpretive ranger. The damage consisted of the name “TRENT” scratched into the panel. The interpretive ranger had visited and photographed the rock art, known as the Descending Sheep panel, less than an hour prior to the report, and had also observed a guided fishing trip on the beach near the panel. This information was passed on to a law enforcement ranger working at Lee’s Ferry, who found the fishing guide at the boat ramp and asked if he had anyone on his trip by the name of “Trent.” After the guide pointed out his passengers, the ranger asked for Trent. Trenton Gainey of North Carolina responded and admitted to scratching his name into the rock. Gainey told the ranger he did it because he thought it would be “cool.” On December 9th, Gainey pled guilty to one felony violation of the Archaeological Resource Protection Act in federal magistrate’s court and agreed to pay $10,000 in restitution to repair the damage he caused to the panel. He is scheduled for sentencing in the district court in Phoenix on March 14th. The investigation was conducted by NPS rangers, Glen Canyon cultural resources staff, and Investigative Service Branch investigators.
Ruby: 1.8.7, Rails: 1.1.6