Yellowstone News and Information

  NEWS RELEASE Washington man receives jail sentence for thermal trespass and a closure violation in Yellowstone National Park A man can be seen in the upper right corner of the photo walking on thermal ground at the Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Four tourists look on from behind a fence on a wooden boardwalk. NPS Photo News Release Date:  June 13, 2024 Contact:   Lori Hogan , 307-772-2124 Contact:   Morgan Warthin , (307) 344-2015 Viktor Pyshniuk , 21 of Lynwood, Washington, was sentenced to seven days in jail for thermal trespass at Steamboat Geyser in the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). In addition, he was placed on two years of unsupervised release and received a two-year ban from YNP for a closure violation. The court also ordered Pyshniuk to pay a $1,500 fine, $30 mandatory court processing fee and $20 special assessment. According to court documents, a YNP law enforcement officer was dispatched to the thermal area at St...

  Pierce Brosnan cited for off-trail hiking in  Yellowstone National Park

  Man Sentenced To Jail For Walking on Yellowstone Thermal; Woman Avoids Jail Time

  News Release Illinois woman charged in Yellowstone case involving a grizzly receives four days in federal custody and fines Grizzly sow & yearling cub, Roaring Mountain NPS / Neal Herbert News Release Date: October 7, 2021 Contact: Lori Hogan (Contractor), United States Attorney Spokesman , 307-772-2124 Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that SAMANTHA R DEHRING , age 25 of Carol Stream, Illinois, pleaded guilty to willfully remaining, approaching, and photographing wildlife within 100 yards. The other count, feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife, was dismissed. Dehring appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming on October 6, 2021, for her change of plea and sentencing hearing. She was sentenced to four days in custody, one-year unsupervised probation, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, a $1,000 community service payment to Yellowstone For...

  Inside the Yellowstone National Park Jail and Justice Center

  News Release Connecticut woman sentenced for walking on thermal area in Yellowstone National Park People exploring the sights in Norris Geyser Basin NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date: August 25, 2021 Contact: Mark Trimble, United States Attorney Spokesman , 307-772-2124 Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that  MADELINE S. CASEY , age 26 of New Hartford, Connecticut was sentenced to seven days in jail for walking on thermal ground at Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. In addition, she was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $40 in fees and a $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Resource Fund. Casey appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming on August 18, 2021, for sentencing. Casey was with two other people as they made their way up to a thermal pool and geyser at Norris Geyser Basin. She and one other person got off the boardw...

  Yellowstone visitors react to news that park has its own jail

News Release Illinois woman charged in Yellowstone National Park case involving grizzly sow and cubs Park Entrance sign and Sepulcher Mountain NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date: August 2, 2021 Contact: Mark Trimble, United States Attorney Spokesman , 307-772-2124 Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that SAMANTHA R DEHRING , age 25 of Carol Stream, Illinois, was charged with one count of willfully remaining, approaching, and photographing wildlife within 100 yards and one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife. Dehring is expected to appear in front of Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming on August 26, 2021, for her arraignment.  According to the violation notices, Dehring was at Roaring Mountain in Yellowstone National Park on May 10, 2021, when visitors noticed a sow grizzly and her three cubs. While other visitors slowly backed off and g...

  Woman charged after she approached grizzly bear in Yellowstone with her phone

  News Release Maine fugitive caught and sentenced for earlier stunt to gain attention at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park Crowds at an Old Faithful eruption NPS / Neal Herbert News Release Date: July 2, 2021 Contact: Morgan Warthin , 307-344-2015 Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that AARON E. MERRITT, age 37 of Madison, Maine pleaded guilty to trespassing on the Old Faithful thermal area in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Merritt appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming on July 1, 2021, for the arraignment and sentencing. On July 7, 2020, while wearing a raccoon skin hat and waving an American flag, Merritt ran out on the thermal area and up to the geyser of Old Faithful more than once. He then failed to appear for his court hearing on July 23, 2020, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested on June 5, 2021, in Maine and made his appearance at the Yel...