Utah Woman Sentenced for Vandalizing Ancient Petroglyphs on BLM Land

Public reports with photos enabled a BLM investigation that secured accountability for damage near Buckskin and Wire Pass.

Overview

Daniela Ganassim Ericksen, 47, received 12 months of probation for defacing a petroglyph panel on federal land in Kane County in 2024.
She was ordered to pay $14,853.36 in fines and restitution, with court documents listing $11,853.36 as the repair cost.
Her sentence requires a written apology to relevant stakeholder tribes and bars her from entering BLM land during probation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah announced the sentence, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Hood prosecuting the case.
BLM credited public lands users who reported the incident and provided photos, and KSL reported she pleaded guilty in June after authorities circulated an image and offered a reward.