Treasure hunter gets prison time after digging in Yellowstone cemetery, officials say
A treasure hunter dug through a historic Yellowstone cemetery looking for bounty, federal officials said. Now he’ll spend six months in prison.
Until the elusive stash was found in June, thousands of people had spent years risking their lives looking across the West to find the coveted Forrest Fenn treasure.
Meet the treasure hunter who found Forrest Fenn’s bounty after years of searching
Some treasure hunters died looking for the hidden gold, rubies, emeralds and diamonds. Others were rescued from dangerous situations or risked getting caught by law enforcement officials.
In late 2019 and early 2020, Rodrick Craythorn, 52, dug through the historic Fort Yellowstone cemetery within the park in hopes of finding the treasure he believed was worth millions, the National Park Service said.
Craythorn had done “extensive research” on the Fenn treasure and was documenting his search for friends and family.
His search led him to the national park, where officials said he dug through graves at the cemetery, a National Historic Landmark where at least 54 employees of the Army and their family members were buried between 1888 and 1916. It’s included in the National Register of Historic Places and is U.S. property.
“Rangers and special agents of the National Park Service discovered 17 sites of illegal excavation, including damage to an historic grave,” officials said in a news release. “The cemetery is a multicomponent archeological site with historical human burials.”
Craythorn did not find the treasure chest, which was found in Wyoming by a man identified as Jack Stuef.
In January, Craythorn pleaded guilty to digging in the cemetery between Oct. 1 2019 and May 24, 2020. On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced Craythorn to six month in prison and six months of home detention. His sentencing includes two years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $31,566 in restitution.
“This is the most significant investigation of damage to archaeological resources in Yellowstone National Park’s recent history,” Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said. “I want to sincerely thank law enforcement officers, special agents, archaeological staff, the Department of Justice District of Wyoming and the U.S. District Court Judge for their outstanding work on this complex case.”
