Utah Woman Sentenced After Defacing Petroglyphs on BLM Land

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Daniela Ganassim Ericksen, 47, of Ivins, Utah, was sentenced today after she vandalized petroglyphs on the Bureau of Land Management land located in in Kane County, Utah, in 2024.

The court ordered Ericksen to 12 months’ probation and ordered her to pay a total of $14,853.36 in fines and restitution. Ericksen was also ordered to send a letter of apology to the relevant stakeholder tribes in the area and is prohibited from entering on to Bureau of Land Management land during her probationary period.

According to court documents, on November 23, 2024, Ericksen entered onto U.S. BLM land near the confluence of Buckskin and Wire Pass in Kane County and vandalized archaeological resources, specifically a petroglyph panel. As a result of her illegal conduct, the cost to restore and repair the damage is $11,853.36.

United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Land Management.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.