Overview
- President Donald J. Trump issued the pardon on November 7, wiping out Sunseri’s misdemeanor conviction and eliminating any fines or potential ban from Grand Teton National Park.
- Sunseri ran the Grand Teton round-trip in about 2:50:50 on September 2, 2024, but his time was disallowed after GPS data showed he used the Old Climber’s Trail shortcut, and a magistrate judge found him guilty in September 2025.
- Freedom of Information Act records showed the National Park Service withdrew support for the case under Executive Order 14294, yet the Department of Justice continued the prosecution to a bench trial.
- Prosecutors later offered to seek dismissal if Sunseri completed 60 hours of community service and a wilderness stewardship course, a proposal that drew concern from the judge before the pardon mooted further hearings.
- The case drew congressional attention to mens rea reform, with Reps. Andy Biggs and Harriet Hageman citing it, and filmmakers Connor Burkesmith and Alex Rienzie are now in post‑production on a 2026 documentary about the saga.