ST. GEORGE – A California woman who tagged Zion, Canyonlands and five other national parks in 2014 as a part of a personal art project pleaded guilty to federal misdemeanor charges of vandalism Monday.
Fox 13 News reports that Casey Nocket, 23, of San Diego, pleaded guilty to the federal misdemeanor charges in court in Fresno, California. The charges are related to damaging government property. She was sentenced to serve two years probation and 200 hours of community service.
The woman is also banned from public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Army Corps of Engineers while on probation.
In each instance damage done to the rocks was determined to be less than $1,000, according to court papers.
A hearing will be held at a later date to determine restitution in the case.
Over the course of 26 days in 2014, Nocket visited national parks in California, Oregon, Colorado and Utah and applied her “artwork” to rock surfaces with sharpies and acrylic paint.
Nocket signed artwork under “Creepytings” and posted it to her social media accounts. Nocket’s exploits were not well received and ultimately landed her in federal court.
“The defendant’s defacement of multiple rock formations showed a lack of respect for the law and our shared national treasures,” said acting U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert of the Eastern District of California, in a statement, as reported by Fox 13 Now in Salt Lake City. “The National Park Service has worked hard to restore the rock formations to their natural state, completing clean-up efforts in five of the seven parks.”
In some cases, the artwork has been removed by unknown parties, possible “good Samaritans,” according to court papers.
The seven counts of vandalism include:
- Sept. 23, 2014, Death Valley National Park in the Eastern District of California at the summit of Telescope Peak.
- Sept. 12, 2014, Rocky Mountain National Park in the District of Colorado.
- Sept. 13, 2014, Colorado National Monument in the District of Colorado on the Monument Canyon Trail.
- Sept. 15, 2014, Canyonlands National Park in the District of Utah on the Neck Spring Trail.
- Sept. 17, 2014, Zion National Park in the District of Utah.
- Oct. 2, 2014, Yosemite National Park in the Eastern District of California at the beginning of the John Muir Trail.
- Oct. 7, 2014, Crater Lake National Park in the District of Oregon.
Ed. note: Information regarding possible restitution was added to this story.
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.
Her community service could be learning to draw with chalk so it washes off in the rain
The article leaves out the report that there will be another hearing to determine restitution for the costs of removing the “artwork”. I’m glad she will have to pay for the damage in addition to the community service.
Well she is guilty of doing a portrait of RealLowlife that’s why she is being charged with that. because RealLowlife’s face was used to deface a rock ! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha that’s funny right there ! LOL ha ha ha ha. …RealLowlife will be in as soon as he finds his meds. …..
Taking too many pills can make you ramble on incoherently.
What? No fine. She needs a financial and freedom deterrent of $5,000.00 and 30 days in jail per episode and, plus the fees of restoration.
I posted a comment 6 hours ago and it is still awaiting moderation. Other comments have been posted since then. What gives?
Just waiting for me, Karen. Moderating is one of many little tasks I do – I bet you can appreciate how that goes. 🙂
Nice to see you here again,
Joyce
EIC
Just what I was saying about the illegals at Sand Hollow. That is what’s wrong in this country. No one is held accountable for anything they do, from our elected officials, to criminals of all kinds that just keep on doing what they’re doing because nothing happens to them. If people that deface OUR natural wonders they should have to pay with either a hefty fine and or jail time. So just maybe, these lowlifes might think twice before continuing to break our laws. How selfish can this person be!! What if everyone that visited our parks did what she did. Better set an example or that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
There are plenty of merchants around the parks that engage artists to do works .
Planting your art in ‘Everyones’ open space is an absurd ego attack .
Who is dumb enough to believe Everyone will love their work ?
Besides maybe a 13 year old . . .