In the USA, a man who lived in a national forest for 8 years in a camp with half a ton of garbage will be prosecuted

In the state of Arizona, a 65-year-old man was detained for illegal residence in the Tonto National Forest, where, according to the investigation, he lived for about eight years. Federal authorities say that around his camp about half a ton of garbage accumulated, causing significant damage to natural resources.

As reported by The Independent, the man named Mark Aaron Gatz was arrested on June 25. According to law enforcement, he lived in the Tonto National Forest — the fifth largest national forest in the USA — for approximately eight years, and settled in that specific location about two years ago.

He was discovered by US Forest Service employees on a dirt road in an area popular among tourists, cyclists, and off-road enthusiasts.

A federal lawsuit filed on June 29 in an Arizona state court notes that the Forest Service received numerous complaints about large unauthorized structures, campfires, garbage, and personal belongings scattered over an area of about one acre.

Half a ton of garbage and unauthorized structures

One Forest Service employee called this case "possibly one of the worst" he had ever seen.

During the site inspection, law enforcement found approximately 1000 pounds (about 450 kilograms) of garbage. Among the waste were car tires, plastic bags, trash bags, aluminum cans, and other debris.

Also found on site were a carport, a coal fireplace and cooking area with 10–12 frying pans, as well as three ladders, six to eight trash-filled bags, five 55-gallon barrels, eight tires, four bicycle frames, five gallons of motor oil, plywood, and other construction materials.

According to the investigation, about half an acre of natural land was damaged due to the prolonged accumulation of garbage.

Previously violated the law

Court documents state that the man was well known to Forest Service employees due to previous violations. At the time of arrest, there were at least six federal arrest warrants against him.

He had previously been accused of making campfires during fire restrictions, illegal construction on forest land, creating unsanitary conditions, and using public lands as a permanent residence.

The court also considered his criminal history and previous failures to appear in court, after which the man was kept in custody due to flight risk.

Charges against him

The alleged violations include:

• making and using campfires outside designated areas;
• exceeding the allowed camping duration;
• building and using residential structures on National Forest System lands;
• leaving fires unattended;
• damaging natural resources and public property;
• illegal construction of structures and other objects;
• violating second-level fire restrictions;
• unauthorized residence on national forest land;
• storing garbage and waste in unsanitary conditions.

Combined, these charges carry a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.

Rules in US national forests

Permanent residence on US Forest Service lands is prohibited by federal law. Typically, campers may stay in one place for no more than 14 days within a 30-day period.

Exceeding this period, building structures, or accumulating personal property is considered unauthorized use of public land for residence.

The US Forest Service notes that prolonged residence in national forests causes problems due to waste accumulation, vegetation damage, soil compaction, and negative impact on other visitors. Federal officials also emphasize that arrests are usually made only in cases of systematic disregard for rules and repeated violations.

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