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Arizona man pleads guilty after illegally living in forest for years among ‘1,000lbs of trash’
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Mark Aaron Gatz pleaded guilty to violating federal fire restrictions and unlawfully residing in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest, where he lived for about eight years at an illegal campsite surrounded by approximately 1,000 pounds of trash.
- Gatz was arrested on June 25 after multiple encounters with U.S. Forest Service officers who issued warnings and violation notices for his campfires during fire restrictions and for maintaining unsanitary conditions.
- Authorities documented extensive debris at the site, including tires, plastic bags, drums, ladders, and other trash scattered over half an acre, raising public safety and environmental concerns.
- Gatz had prior citations and six outstanding federal arrest warrants related to similar violations, including building fires during fire restrictions and illegally occupying national forest land.
- He was sentenced to time served and three years of probation following his guilty plea, with no immediate comment from his representative.
