2 people charged with stealing items from historic site inside Canyonlands National Park

Two Colorado tourists have been charged by authorities in Utah after they were alleged to have stolen artifacts from a historic site inside Canyonlands National Park.

According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, 39-year-old Roxane McKnight and 43-year-old Dusty Spencer entered a fenced-off area of the park where they allegedly handled and stole artifacts from a historical site.

The site is the Cave Springs Cowboy Camp, located inside the park.

“This historic camp was protected by fencing and clear warnings prohibiting visitors from entering the area, which McKnight and Spencer disregarded,” a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Utah said.

Both McKnight and Spencer have been charged with theft of government property worth less than $1,000, as well as possessing or distributing cultural or archaeological resources and walking on or entering archaeological or cultural resources.

Both are scheduled to make their initial appearance at the U.S. District Court in Moab Friday morning, according to the release.

USA TODAY was not able to immediately find an attorney representing McKnight or Spencer.

What is the Cave Springs Cowboy Camp?

Located inside the Canyonlands National Park, the camp features various “original” artifacts from camps that were set up by pioneer cattlemen between the late 1800s through 1975.

These camps subsequently ended when cattle ranching stopped at the park almost 50 years ago.

“Many original items left by the cowboys remain. Please do not enter the camp, touch, or remove the objects,” the National Park Service said on its website.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.