- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, June 17, 1993
- Date: Thurs, 17 Jun 1993
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Thursday, June 17, 1993
Broadcast: By 0830 ET
INCIDENTS
92-264 - El Malpais (New Mexico) - Follow-up on ARPA Arrest
On June 9, 1992, rangers intercepted about two dozen people exiting the park
with a variety of artifacts. Upon further inquiry, they learned that a
member of the group, S.H., was operating an outfitter guide service
for treasure hunters, and that he had charged each of the individuals $5,000
to hunt for treasure. S.H. had spoken before a dozen service clubs in
the Denver area between September, 1991, and February, 1992, and had told
listeners that he knew the location of Spanish treasure worth millions which
had been lost in 1756. He said that interested persons could join him in
the recovery effort for $5,000 each. About 30 men joined up; together with
silent partners, they paid S.H. about $130,000. The expedition then
headed for El Malpais. S.H. was unable to "find" the cave with the gold,
but did come upon and remove a black-on-white Anasazi ladle from about 1050
AD. When contacted by El Malpais and BLM rangers and other enforcement
officers, they also had pottery and World War II bomb parts in their packs.
The artifacts, packs, tools and a .357 revolver belonging to Hoskin's son
were seized. The subsequent investigation by El Malpais rangers Cindy Ott-
Jones and Al King and BLM agents Steve Fleming and Ed Petrovsky resulted in
interviews with all participants. Rocky Mountain Regional Office
coordinated involvement of the IRS, Postal Service and Colorado attorney
general's office. A search warrant was served on S.H.'s residence and
documentary evidence was seized. Subpoenas produced bank records,
testimony, car purchase data and other information. On June 10th, a Federal
grand jury returned three felony mail fraud indictments against S.H..
The indictments lead to front page news articles and radio and TV stories.
A segment on NBC included hidden video and audio recordings of S.H.
soliciting participants. More legal actions, including ARPA charges, CFR
misdemeanors and civil proceedings, are pending. [Erny Kuncl, RMRO, 6/16]
92-504 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Follow-up on Illegal Jump
On December 15, 1992, 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 14, 1992. Part of J.V.'s plea
agreement stipulated that he would cooperate and provide witness testimony
against his two associates and co-defendants, who both conspired with and
aided and abetted J.V.. One of the associates, R.C., was
subsequently charged with conspiracy (18 USC Section 2 and 371) and creation
of a hazardous condition (36 CFR 2.34). On April 30th, J.V. and R.C.
were sentenced on those charges. R.C. was sentenced to a year's
probation and a $250 fine for each of the two charges, with the probation
sentences to run concurrently. J.V. was sentenced to a year's probation
and a $500 fine on each of the two charges against him; again, the probation
sentences are to run concurrently. Both men also were sentenced to small
amounts of community service. The comments of judge David Noce upon
sentencing are worth repeating: "There are places in our country where the
sufficiently skilled can savor the exhilaration and personal satisfaction of
accomplishing courageous and intrepid acts, of reaching dreamed of heights,
and for coursing dangerous adventures. Many such places are entrusted to
the National Park Service. There are other places appropriately set aside
and safeguarded for personal enjoyment without hazard, for the exhilaration
of mere observation, and for the appreciation of the imaginings and workings
of others. Many such places are also committed to the National Park Service
for safekeeping. The St. Louis Arch and the grounds of the Jefferson
National Expansion Memorial are in the latter category." [John Weddle, CI,
JEFF, 6/16]
93-371 - Biscayne (Florida) - Illegal Aliens
On the morning of June 13th, Everglades dispatch notified Biscayne rangers
Becky and Tom Rutledge that the Coast Guard SAR desk had reported that a
private boater had picked up two Cuban rafters from a six-foot-long blow-up
type raft in the park northeast of Pacific Reef light. At the time of the
report, the boater was en route to the Adams Key ranger residence area to
meet with a Coast Guard cutter. The rafters, both of whom were from Havana,
had been dropped off in the Gulf Stream by a larger vessel which had
transported them from Cojimar, Cuba, at a cost of $400 per person. The
vessel was operated by a man known to the rafters only as "El Chino". This
is the second reported incident of Cuban rafters coming ashore in Biscayne
this year. On April 6th, four rafters from Mantanza, Cuba, were rescued in
the park after spending six days rowing a small wooden boat to Florida.
[Jan Kirwan, Acting CR, BISC, 6/16]
93-372 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Sexual Assault Conviction
On Mary 31st, K.G., 32, of Jacksonville, Florida, was found guilty on
one count of attempted aggravated sexual assault and two counts of attempted
sexual assault for an incident which occurred in the Mammoth Hotel on July
3, 1991. K.G. was sentenced on May 26th to ten years in federal prison,
five years of supervised probation and a $5,000 fine. K.G. had been
employed by TWRS, the main park concessioner, as a desk clerk at the hotel,
which is at Mammoth Hot Springs. On the evening of July 2, 1991, a 29-year-
old visitor from Sacramento, California, checked into the hotel. K.G.
believed that she was willing to meet him later that evening and went to her
room about midnight. She told him that she didn't want to have anything to
do with him, so he departed. Shortly before 1 a.m., K.G. returned to her
room and let himself in with a key he'd taken from the front desk. Although
the victim repeatedly asked him to leave, he refused; after drinking a pint
of tequila, he physically abused her and attempted to sexually assault her
until about 5:30 a.m., when she was able to get him out of her room.
Visitors in the adjoining room notified the hotel security guard, who
contacted rangers. K.G. told rangers John Donaldson, Paul Miller and Pat
Ozment that the woman had received her injuries as the result of consensual
sexual activity that night, but was unable to explain why he was not
injured. K.G. was ordered to stay away from the victim and several other
women he'd been harassing. Following a sexual assault examination at the
Mammoth Clinic, he was released pending further investigation. Later that
morning, Miller arrested K.G. in a concession dormitory in Mammoth as he
attempted to contact one of the women he'd been ordered to stay away from.
On July 3rd, he was convicted of failing to obey a lawful order in
magistrate's court in Mammoth and expelled from the park. Following an
extensive investigation by Miller, Ozment and a Montana FBI agent, K.G. was
indicted by a federal grand jury in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on December 2, 1992.
He was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, on December 10th and held in Cheyenne
until the trial in March. K.G. refused a court-appointed counsel and
defended himself in the eight-day trial. He has appealed his conviction to
the circuit court. [CRO, YELL, 6/13]
[More pending incident reports tomorrow...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 6/16 6/17 Status
AK State Tanana Zone 332248 15,000 17,000 NEC
AZ State Pima County Piety Comp. - T2 600 2,200 NEC
USFS Kaibab * Point - T2 - 1,000 NEC
BLM Phoenix * Union Pass - 350 CN 6/17
NM State - * Corral - 900 CND
- * Meredith - 1,400 CL
- * Stone 2 - 900 CND
FL FWS Okefenokee Gnat Catcher - T1 5,711 5,711 CN 6/18
USFS Apalachicola New River 150 150 CND
NOTES:
- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this report). T1 and T2
indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Status - The following abbreviations are employed:
NR - No report received MS - Modified suppression strategy
CL - Controlled MN - Being monitored
CS - Confinement strategy NEC - No estimate of containment
CND - Contained CN (date) - Expected date of containment
3) PARK FIRE REPORTS - No significant reports today.
4) ANALYSIS - Fire activity has increased in the Southwest, with several
large fires escaping initial attack. Fourteen Type I crews have been
committed to the area. Resource mobilization occurred throughout the day
and involved some movement from other geographic areas. Initial attack
activity remained moderate in the South and Alaska.
5) PROGNOSIS - A red flag watch has been issued in Arizona for strong winds
associated with a cold front which is expected to move across the state.
Dry lightning is likely in the east. Another red flag watch has been posted
in New Mexico for strong southwest winds. Initial attack and large fire
activity will likely continue in the Southwest. Southern California,
Florida and southern Georgia may see an increase in initial attack because
of continuing hot and dry weather. Minimal activity is forecast for Alaska.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530, 6/17]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry at aircraft overflight
contract meeting (6/14-6/15); Dickerhoof on AL (6/18).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Spruill on Death Valley aircraft study (6/15-
6/18); Gale at incident management training exercise development meeting and
on AL (6/16-6/26).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-4874
Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5572
Telefax: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-6756
Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5977
cc:Mail: Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation
SkyPager: Emergencies ONLY (numeric message) - 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843
SkyTalk: Emergencies ONLY (voice message) - 1-800-759-8255, PIN 2404843