A Carlisle man is facing federal felony charges after authorities say he defaced two historic monuments at the Gettysburg battlefield last year.
Lucas J. Reisinger, 36, was arrested March 6 by National Park Service law enforcement rangers with assistance from Carlisle police following an investigation into vandalism that occurred at Gettysburg National Military Park in September.
According to investigators, Reisinger carved the initials “LJR” into two monuments located at Little Round Top sometime between 5 and 6 p.m. on Sept. 14. Authorities say the markings were etched into the plaque of the 44th New York Infantry Monument and into the face of Colonel Patrick O’Rorke on the monument honoring the 140th New York Infantry.
The 44th New York Infantry monument, commonly known as “The Castle,” is the largest regimental monument on the Gettysburg battlefield and a prominent feature of the park’s historic landscape.
Federal prosecutors have charged Reisinger with two counts of destruction of veterans’ memorials. Each count is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Officials said the National Park Service is also seeking restitution for the damage to the monuments. The cost of repairing the carvings is estimated to exceed $11,000.
Reisinger is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.
The investigation involved multiple agencies. The National Park Service credited assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Adams County Department of Emergency Services.
The case involving Reisinger is separate from another incident reported earlier this year in which several monuments at the battlefield were smeared with an oil-based substance in January.
Source: NPS, PennLive