Colorado Tourists Charged With Stealing Artifacts From National Park In Utah

MOAB, Utah. (TMX) - Two tourists from Colorado are facing federal charges for allegedly stealing artifacts from a historic site at Utah's Canyonlands National Park earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah announced this week.

Roxanne McKnight, 39, and Dusty Spencer, 43, of Durango, Colo., were charged Monday with theft of government property, less than $1,000; possessing or distributing cultural or archaeological resources; and walking on or entering archaeological or cultural resource.

The National Park Service in May released trail camera video to seek the public's help identifying the two suspects in an "archeological theft" that occurred on March 23 at the Cave Spring Cowboy Camp in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park.

The suspects could be seen entering an area marked by signage as being closed to the public. The video showed the suspects removing artifacts from a cabinet and handling historic harnesses "in a manner that had potential to damage them," the park said.

McKnight and Spencer are scheduled to make their first court appearance at the United States District Court in Moab, Utah, on Nov. 8.