RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Friday, December 18, 1992

Release:   0800 EDT

INCIDENTS

92-504 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Follow-up on Illegal Jump

On December 15th, J.V. pled guilty in U.S. district court to one
count of climbing a national monument (36 CFR 2.1) and one count of
parachuting without a permit (36 CFR 2.17) stemming from his illegal jump
from the top of the arch on September 14th.  Police from St. Louis County
assisted rangers in identifying J.V. following the incident.  Part of
J.V.'s plea agreement is that he will cooperate and provide witness
testimony against his two associates and co-defendants, who both conspired
with and aided and abetted J.V..  J.V. also forfeited all rights to
the videotape and photos of the jump, which were seized as evidence. 
Sentencing is set for March 12th.  [John Weddle, CI, JNEM, 12/17]

92-642 - Gateway (New York/New Jersey) - Follow-up on Winter Storm 

All families living in park residences at Sandy Hook have been able to
return home.  Headquarters is again fully operational, and telephones are
back on line.  The park is currently evaluating the best methods to employ
to assist those staff who incurred personal losses due to the storm.  [Jim
Rienhardt, CR, GATE, 12/17]

92-651 - Big Thicket (Texas) - Theft Arrest

On November 19th, rangers discovered that a body armor vest had been taken
from a storage cabinet in park headquarters.  Investigation revealed that
two contract carpet layers had been working unsupervised in the building on
the evening of November 17th.  When W.W., one of the two carpet
layers, learned that rangers were looking for him, he returned the vest to
his employer, who returned it to the park.  The company owner said that
W.W. had told him that W.W.'s partner took the vest and used it to obtain
crack cocaine.  Rangers and a narcotics detective from Beaumont conducted
lengthy interviews with both men.  W.W., who has two prior state felony
convictions and had served time for armed robbery and possession of
dangerous drugs, eventually admitted to the theft.  On December 3rd, a
federal grand jury indicted W.W. for the theft.  If convicted, he faces his
third felony conviction and a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a
$250,000 fine.  [Kim Coast, BITH, 12/17]

92-652 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Drug Arrests and Seizures

Rangers recently completed an eight-week-long, 24-hour-per day drug
interdiction effort as part of an overall operation conducted by the Border
Alliance Narcotics Network (BANN), a cooperative effort by six agencies in a
high intensity drug trafficking area which runs along 150 miles of
Arizona/Mexico border.  A record number of narcotics seizures were made
during the operation.  Over 100 reports of suspicious activity in the park
were investigated by rangers and resulted in seven separate drug seizures of
a total of 52 ounces of heroin and 260 pounds of marijuana.  Three arrests
were made, and two vehicles were seized.  Rangers also arrested a fugitive
wanted by U.S. Marshals on escape and drug smuggling charges who had been on
the run for over 12 years.  In another incident, rangers apprehended a
suspect after a pursuit in which the vehicle crashed in the desert and other
suspected smugglers fled back into Mexico.  Seizures for all agencies,
including the park, totalled over two tons of marijuana, 152 grams of
cocaine, and 661 grams of peyote.  Forty-eight people were arrested and 15
vehicles, 19 weapons and two horses were seized.  [Aniceto Olais, CR, ORPI,
12/17]

92-653 - Gates of the Arctic (Alaska) - Illegal Hunting and Mining

Two men have pled guilty and been fined in magistrate court on charges
stemming from a variety of illegal activities in the park.  D.T.,
26, of Nolan, was charged with illegal hunting, gold mining and off-road
vehicle use and was fined $850.  R.B., 31, of Wiseman, was charged
with illegal gold mining and off-road vehicle use and was fined $350. 
D.T. and R.B. entered the park near Nolan and drove about 15 miles
across park wilderness on three-wheel ATV's to Mascot Creek, where they
illegally excavated for gold.  While in the area, Ticknor illegally shot a
moose and was discovered butchering the animal by a seasonal ranger.  The
park is assisting Alaska Fish and Game in an investigation to determine
whether additional charges should be filed against the men for violations of
state hunting regulations.  [John Quinley, PIO, ARO, 12/17]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Kreis on annual leave (12/17-1/7).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Information not available.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

cc:Mail     Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation