Posted on 05/11/2017 11:00:56 AM PDT by Red Badger
CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC
A Sullivan’s Island man has been indicted on federal charges of damaging and defacing an archeological resource for “forcibly pulling” on a support bar of the Fort Sumter National Monument.
Noah Michael Sigalas, 21, is also facing charges of committing a depredation against property of the United States. The charges by a federal grand jury fall under the Archeological Resources Protection Act. His arraignment is scheduled for May 24 at the Charleston County federal courthouse.
The support bar Sigalas is accused of pulling, causing damage in excess of $1,000, was “stabilizing part of a casemate wall along the north flank” of Fort Sumter, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The indictment says the incident took place in March 2016.
The penalties of both charges add up to 12 years in prison, several years of supervised release and fines exceeding $250,000. The Investigative Services Branch of the National Park Service is leading the investigation, the release said.
The park service has been increasing its law enforcement presence in local parks to prevent pilfering, theft, and vandalism, said Acting Park Superintendent Laura Segars, in the release. She said people sometimes steal bricks from Fort Sumter, which is a federal crime.
Ben Byrnes, Chief Ranger of Visitor and Resource Protection for Fort Sumter National Monument, said 90 percent of the bricks visitors see at Fort Sumter are original.
“These are not cast concrete blocks that are easily replaced,” Byrnes said. “There is no machine to make ‘new’ handmade bricks from prior to 1860. Destroying any part of Fort Sumter brick is like literally erasing a page from the history of the United States.”
United States Attorney Beth Drake, of the South Carolina district, said in the release that protecting the district’s archeological resources is important.
“One of the main purposes of the Archeological Resources Protection Act was to provide for the enforcement of penalties against those who loot or vandalize valuable archeological resources,” Drake said. “Prosecuting cases under this act helps to send a message to those who visit our national parks that these historical locations should be preserved rather than vandalized.”
The site of the first fighting in The Civil War.
South Carolinians have tried to deface that fort before, if I recall.
String him up!
Yeah but it was the New Ironsides that demolished it.
LOL!..............That was a long time ago..............
Too bad the New Orleans City Council didn't vote to approve this man's actions.
“Too bad the New Orleans City Council didn’t vote to approve this man’s actions. “
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“Destroying any part of Fort Sumter brick is like literally erasing a page from the history of the United States.”
Gee, he should probably tell that to the NO people.
New Orleans is at present ripping down historical statues. So this guy tried destroying Sumter without Council Approval.
I made nearly the same point in my post, lol.
Good. What is it with people these days?
South Carolina Ping 
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Guy sounds like an idiot. What was his motive?
He’s 21.....Was probably 20 then................
Punishment should fit the crime— This is outrageous. 12 years in prison and >$250k in fines is more than most murderers get, and these days who even knows if there was criminal intent. Was he actually trying to tear down the wall, or just doing something stupid like climbing on it, or doing a pull up, or just goofing off like 20 year olds do.
“?” is right. I thought what I was referencing was pretty obvious.
Probably a souvenir..............
He could be running a multi-million dollar NGO "Foundation" now, instead of looking at a decade or more in the pokey... 😀
I was curious to get more information, and looked him up to see if I could find any more facts.
I think his dad? is Mike Sigalas, some sort of Civil War historian who did a scholarly piece on Vicksburg.
Young Nick contributed some pictures to the Vicksburg piece.
Think there's more here than meets the eye...
I was curious to get more information, and looked him up to see if I could find any more facts.
I think his dad? is Mike Sigalas, some sort of Civil War historian who did a scholarly piece on Vicksburg.
Young NOAH contributed some pictures to the Vicksburg piece.
Think there's more here than meets the eye...
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