NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

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INCIDENTS

Amistad NRA

Former Employee And Family Convicted In Major Drug Case

On January 18, 2006, rangers from Amistad assisted special agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the DEA in the execution of 11 simultaneous arrest and search warrants in and around Del Rio, Texas. Over 100 federal and state officers participated in the raids. All warrants served were on properties owned by members of the T. family, including residences, a trucking company facility, and two large ranches. Members of the T. family - one of whom worked for the park - had been under federal investigation since 2001. On August 20th, the T.'s trial began at the federal district court in Del Rio, Texas. On trial were J.T., his wife B.T., and his brother R.T. R.T. was a maintenance employee at Amistad from April 1982 until his resignation shortly after his arrest in January 2007. All three suspects were denied bond by the federal district court judge and have been incarcerated since their arrest on January 18, 2006. Park rangers assigned to the ICE High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force played a vital role in the investigation by interviewing numerous subjects, including other members of the park maintenance staff. One of these interviews was with M.D. and proved to be essential. M.D., another long-term park maintenance employee and a good friend of R.T., was interviewed on several occasions. After the third interview with M.D., it became very apparent that he was heavily involved with R.T. and his illegal activities. Rangers contacted the special agent in charge of the case and M.D. agreed to communicate and cooperate with the agent. Over the course of numerous interviews, M.D. revealed his involvement with the T. smuggling ring. During the four-year period between 2001 and 2005, M.D. helped J.T. and R.T. smuggle over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana across Lake Amistad and into the United States. M.D. was a key government witness during the trial. In return for his testimony, M.D. was given immunity from prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office. M.D. resigned from the NPS in 2006. On August 29th, the jury took less than four hours to return the guilty verdict on all counts for J.T., B.T., and R.T. J.T. was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, one count of conspiracy to import over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. B.T. was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. R.T. was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, one count of conspiracy to import over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. On August 30th, a forfeiture hearing was held in federal court concerning all assets seized from J.T., G.T., and R.T. The judge determined that all businesses, properties, equipment, vehicles, and residences would be relinquished to the federal government. The sentencing date was set for January 21, 2008. [Bruce Malloy, Chief Ranger]

Rocky Mountain NP

Search Underway For Couple Missing In Backcountry

On the afternoon of Saturday, September 1st, T.(T.)J., 56, and M.J., 49, were dropped off at the Chapin Pass trailhead on Fall River Road in the northern portion of the park. They had a backcountry permit to stay at the Flatiron backcountry campsite near Hague Creek that night. On Sunday, their plan was to hike north via the Cache la Poudre River trail and Big South trail out to the Big South trailhead. On Monday night, their car was located outside of the park at that trailhead. Nobody in their family has heard from them since Saturday. Rangers are working on containment and confinement of the area near the Chapin Pass trailhead and of the Mummy Pass trail leading in from Corral Creek. Other backcountry campers who were staying at sites in the same area Saturday night are being contacted to see whether the J.'s made it to their Flatiron campsite. This would help narrow down a point last seen for the couple. Larimer County Sheriff's Office Emergency Services and Larimer County Search and Rescue are searching trails outside of the park in the Comanche Peak wilderness area. Both of the J.'s are experienced backpackers with gear and equipment to spend the night outdoors. Neither has any pre-existing medical conditions. [Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer]

Roosevelt-Vanderbilt NHS

Former Employee Arrested For Theft, Threat To Ranger

On August 29th, ranger Adam Bissonnette saw D.S., a former employee, filling his personal vehicle with fuel from a government pump. D.S., who was terminated six weeks ago, was also dressed in an NPS uniform. Bissonnette ordered D.S. to stop pumping gas and moved to place him under arrest. As he attempted to handcuff D.S., he pulled away and ran off. Bissonnette pursued, chasing him across private property and back into the park. D.S. then stopped, turned in a fighting posture, picked up a large rock, and threatened Bissonnette. The ranger employed his pepper spray to subdue D.S. and take him into custody. Bissonnette provided first aid for the spray, but D.S. refused medical treatment and was taken to the Hyde Park police station for processing. D.S. was cited for theft of government property, disobeying a lawful order, impersonating a federal employee, resisting arrest, and threatening a federal officer. [Cathy Newhard, Chief Ranger]

Grand Teton NP

Two Stranded Climbers Rescued From Grand Teton

Rangers employed an interagency contract helicopter to rescue two stranded climbers near an ice field in the Black Ice Couloir on the Grand Teton on the evening of August 29th. R.C., 65, of Manitou Springs, Colorado, and his climbing partner, R.U., 29, from Vestal, New York, became stranded at the 12,200-foot elevation sometime on Tuesday, August 28th, when R.C. pulled off a large block of rock while leading a climb and severely injured his right hand, making it difficult to continue an ascent. The two climbers were forced to spend the night on a narrow ledge before rangers were alerted to their situation on Wednesday afternoon. Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received notice at 12:55 p.m. on Wednesday from dispatchers in Teton County, Idaho, that a 911 call had been received by them reporting “cries for help” from somewhere near the North Ridge of the Grand Teton. Rangers summoned a contract helicopter and conducted an aerial reconnaissance flight at 2 p.m. to determine the source of the calls. They spotted R.C. and R.U., but they appeared to be descending and did not initially indicate that they were in need of assistance. Rangers made a second flight at 5 p.m. and used a “white board” placard to visually inquire about whether the couple needed help. At that time, the stranded climbers responded that they did require assistance. Three park rangers were flown to a high-elevation landing zone in Valhalla Canyon, and one was then inserted by the short-haul technique onto the narrow ledge where the climbers were located. The ranger was able to get R.C. and R.U. into rescue evacuation suits and prepare them for a short-haul flight back to Valhalla Canyon. All three of them - the ranger and the two climbers - were then short-hauled together, in one flight, to the landing zone at Valhalla Canyon, where they could get inside the helicopter for a return flight to Lupine Meadows. R.C. was then transported by a park ambulance to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson, where he spent the night for treatment of his injuries. Had rangers remained unaware of the climbers' location and need for assistance, they would have spent a second difficult night stranded on the Grand Teton without basic bivouac gear. This marks the 21st major search and rescue operation in the park this year. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories (among others) can be read on either the InsideNPS web site (if you are within the National Park Service) or at the InsideNPS public ‘news digest' site (if you are outside of the NPS). The web sites are, respectively, HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ and ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/).

* Office of the Comptroller - In less than a month, a Servicewide Comprehensive Call (SCC) will be issued for FY 2010. The SCC is the formal beginning of a new round of planning for future budgets and aims to increase communication and cooperation at all levels of the Service. A new SCC website has been launched for FY 2010.

* Harpers Ferry Center - The center has produced a 36 x 48 map of the National Park System that's available as a PDF file.

* US Park Police - Deputy Chief Pamela A. Datcher retired from the United States Park Police on August 31st following 27 years of distinguished service. Datcher is the first African-American female to be promoted to lieutenant, captain, major, and deputy chief in the 214 year history of United States Park Police.

* Isle Royale - On Monday, August 20th, Isle Royale National Park lost Enar Strom, one of it long time volunteers. Strom suffered a heart attack while in his park summer residence on Barnum Island.

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-686-3828).

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