The team behind the Canadian clothing called High On Life, who became famous for trampling over Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring back in May, have finally returned to the United States and have been sentenced in Wyoming.
Canadians Charles Ryker Gamble, Alexey Andriyovych Lyakh and Justis Cooper
See Also: Filmmaker’s Trample Prismatic Spring, Want You to Make it Right.
Price Brown made an appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming at the Yellowstone Justice Center on Thursday.
Lyakh and Gamble pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct by creating a hazardous condition and foot travel in a thermal area, using drones and bikes in closed areas, and performing commercial photography without a permit. The host of charges stemmed not only from the well-publicized incident in Yellowstone, but also from their negligence in Zion, Death Valley and Mesa Verde National Parks. They will have to pay restitution and are banned from U.S Public Lands for five years. In addition, Lyakh and Gamble will serve 7 days in jail, will pay $2,000 each and must perform community service at Yellowstone Forever.
While avoiding jail time, Brown must pay $3,500 in fines and also perform community service at Yellowstone Forever.
While the team always said they were just trying to “inspire people” in their apology, I quickly pointed out that their apology blatantly tried to extort the American public by withholding a $5,000 donation to the Parks department until 5,000 hard working people took time out of their day to write their favorite Yellowstone stories on the park’s Facebook Page. You can read my opinion piece here, but the online apology was quickly edited thereafter.
Hamish Cross, a fourth member of the team pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in November and was ordered to pay more than $8,000 in fines and fees. Like the others, he is also banned from using U.S. Public Land for 5 years.
In case you need a reminder of the events these men were sentenced for, see below. What are your thoughts? Is the punishment tough enough, or did these guys get off too easy? Let us know in the comments.
4 comments
I don’t think the punishment was severe enough. More community service time at YS Forever, and then a longer ban at US parks…
Why will these knuckleheads ever be allowed back into U.S. National Parks?
I have to agree, a lifetime ban would have been more fitting. If it was just once, then 5 years may be a bit long. But given they also negligent in Zion, Death Valley and Mesa Verde tells me they have a lack of respect.
5 years in prison and a lifetime ban from the US would have been more appropriate for all of them. What they did was desecration of a national resource!