Three individuals charged with misdemeanor vandalism at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Cameron Thiers, Sophie Dennison-Gibby and Justin Carreno were arraigned on misdemeanor charges for removing pieces of sealant from the Reflecting Pool, and were ordered to stay away from the site.
U.S. Park Police and partner agencies from Texas, Oklahoma, Montana and California detained three people in June after body-camera footage showed them removing sections of blue sealant from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. One officer saw Carreno pull a piece of paint from the water, while another found a fragment of the liner in Dennison-Gibby’s purse. Thiers allegedly admitted to taking a piece of sealant and still held it when confronted.
The three defendants were arraigned on Wednesday, pleading not guilty to misdemeanor destruction of property valued under $1,000. A judge barred them from returning to the Reflecting Pool. If convicted, each could face a fine of up to $1,000 and a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail.
The incident follows earlier charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who faces a felony count for damage exceeding $1,000 and could receive up to ten years in prison. Repairs to the Reflecting Pool have been delayed by ongoing issues, prompting Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to order a second drainage for maintenance.
"The officer who detained Dennison-Gibby found an additional piece of the reflecting pool liner in her purse," court documents state. "Thiers admitted to removing a piece of blue sealant from the Reflecting Pool and still had it in his hand when I made contact with him," the documents add.