A man faces federal charges for allegedly defacing a prehistoric petroglyph panel near Dinosaur National Monument.
Osmar Mejicanos-Mendoza, 26, of Salt Lake City, has been charged with an Archaeological Resources Protection Act violation and damaging federal property. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Mejicanos-Mendoza is accused of scratching his name, the date and the words "was here" in large letters and numbers across the panel, according to the federal indictment. He then allegedly had a friend take a photograph of him in front of the vandalized petroglyph.
The damaged panel was created between 800 A.D. and 1200 A.D. by the Fremont culture. National Park Service archeologists said the petroglyphs are considered sacred by some Native Americans.