Man Sentenced For Trashing Uncompahgre National Forest
DENVER (AP) - A man who dumped about 8,500 pounds of trash in the Uncompahgre National Forest north of Telluride has been sentenced to six months in federal prison followed by a year of probation.
The Department of Justice announced Thursday that 41-year-old Benjamin Yoho was convicted earlier in the week of living on, maintaining a structure on and leaving debris on forest system land. Prosecutors say he littered a large area near the Jud Wiebe Trail between October and April.
Nearly 50 volunteers helped the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control gather the debris to be removed by helicopter.
U.S. Attorney John Walsh says, "This was no ordinary case of littering in the National Forest - this was full-scale trashing of the public lands."
Yoho is expected to receive mental health treatment in prison.
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