Boy Scout Leaders Charged with Criminal Mischief After Knocking Down Rock

Sometimes our country’s laws get a little bit ridiculous. Three Boy Scout leaders in Utah could face felony charges after knocking down a loose rock in a state park earlier this month. The men were with a group of teens who were playing on huge rocks in Goblin Valley State Park. According to the men, they came across a boulder the size of a car that was loose. Because the park was full of people, they thought the precarious rock was dangerous, and decided to knock it over deliberately, to avoid it hitting someone later on. They posted a video of their actions online, and it instantly became a source of outrage. The men have even received death threats for their actions. They could face felony criminal charges – if it was in Weld, Morgan or Logan County, they could be charged with Criminal Mischief – C.R.S. 18-4-501.

What is Criminal Mischief in Greeley, Johnstown or Erie?

You will be charged with Criminal Mischief if you knowingly damage someone’s property. The level of offense is determined by the value of the damaged property. The men would be facing felony charges; in Colorado this could result in imprisonment in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Charged with Criminal Mischief? Ridiculous Charges Waste Resources

The men have been defending their motives since the video went viral. The man who actually pushed the rock over had shoulder surgery only a month before the incident – he didn’t have much strength. The fact that the rock tumbled down with his weight should cause people to realize that it was a dangerous situation. The men said that teenagers were jumping from rock to rock, and immediately before they knocked the rock down, a family was standing beneath the boulder – in its path if it fell. They felt they were protecting the public. Instead, they have been receiving death threats and may have to go to prison and have a felony on their record. Ridiculous charges like this take away valuable time and resources from police investigating real crimes that are committed against people – not rock formations.

If you or a loved one has been contacted by a Weld, Morgan or Logan County Sheriff’s Deputy, or Greeley, Johnstown or Erie police regarding charges of Criminal Mischief, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009, or submit the “Get Help Now” form. Together, we can protect your future