Man steals thousands from national forest fee collection campground sites in Utah, Arizona recreational parks

In this undated photo provided by the USDA / US Forest Service shows the Stockmore Ranger Station, nestled on the Duchesne River confluence with its West Fork near Hanna, Utah. The Ashley National Forest is proposing to get rid of its two oldest structures, both dating back nearly to the birth of the U.S. Forest Service more than a century ago. The Salt Lake Tribune reports the agency lacks the resources to properly maintain all of its historic properties. (USDA/US Forest Service, via AP)

by: Vivian Chow

Posted: Mar 15, 2022 / 01:11 PM MDT

Updated: Mar 15, 2022 / 01:11 PM MDT

CALIFORNIA (ABC4) – A California man has been sentenced to prison for burglarizing user fee collections sites at the Coronado National Forest near Safford, Ariz.

Authorities identified the suspect as 51-year-old Brian David Lisanti.

Lisanti was initially accused of 11 theft-related charges that were valued anywhere from the low hundreds to over 3,300 in theft each time.

Prosecutors say between July and November of 2020, Lisanti committed at least 42 burglaries of park fee collection sites on national recreation lands throughout Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah.

Lisanti has now plead guilty to two of the 11 charges, court documents say.

Court documents say Lisanti is guilty of stealing over $1,400 in recreational user fee payments at the Coronado National Forest near Safford, Ariz.

The fees belong to the United States Forest Service. He also plead guilty to breaking padlocks on an envelope fee collection tube as well.

Lisanti has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for the charges and will be on supervised release after serving his full sentence.