Two women from Philadelphia were sentenced this week for being off-trail in a thermal area of Yellowstone National Park. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the charges are the result of an incident on June 11, 2020, where both women were seen off the boardwalk walking in a thermal area. The trespassing resulted in damage to orange bacterial mats at Opal Pool in the Midway Geyser Basin.
Tara Davoli, 31 years old, and Sarah A. Piotrowski, 30, both of Philadelphia, went in front of a judge yesterday and were sentenced to two days imprisonment, a fine of $350, restitution of $106.92 for damages to Opal Pool, two years of unsupervised release, and a two-year ban from Yellowstone National Park. The restitution was based on a damage assessment conducted by a Yellowstone geologist and a thermal research crew.
“We appreciate the support of the Wyoming U.S. Attorney’s Office in continuing to help us protect Yellowstone’s resources. The successful investigation and prosecution of these types of cases help prevent future degradation of resources committed by irresponsible visitors.” -Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly