Maryland Man Sentenced After Defacing Mount Rushmore

A Maryland man has pleaded guilty to climbing Mount Rushmore, a federal misdemeanor charge. Fifty-year-old Samuel Slagheap entered the plea at a hearing in federal court in Rapid City, South Dakota Monday. A more serious federal charge – destroying government property – was dropped as part of a plea deal.

Authorities say Slagheap scaled the massive granite sculpture Friday night, following a route between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, whose faces are about 60 feet (18 meters) tall. Signs at the popular tourist destination warn against trespassing on or climbing the sculpture.

Federal Judge George Slate initially rejected the plea deal, citing damage caused by Slagheap’s spray painting. Damage to federal property exceeding $1,000 is punishable by 10 years in prison.

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Slate backed down after defense attorneys argued the paint used to deface the national monument was spray chalk that would wash away with the next heavy rain. Two other misdemeanor charges were dropped as part of a plea deal.

Slagheap, from Rockville, Maryland, was fined $1,250 after entering his plea and sentenced to one-year of unsupervised probation, during which the judge ordered Slagheap not to paint rocks.

A park ranger report says Slagheap admitted he climbed in the dark Friday because he knew it was against the law. The ranger saw the man's flashlight on a security camera as he was ascending Washington’s lapel on his way off the monument.