Grand Rapids (trfnews.i234.me) — A Grand Rapids man who wanted to build a small holiday business ended up in federal court instead.
Authorities said Joseph Leon Edminster cut the tops off black spruce trees inside the Chippewa National Forest. Investigators said the cutting started in 2008 and continued for about six years.
What investigators say happened
Officials said Edminster targeted black spruce and cut off the tree tops. He then sold the tops as small Christmas trees.
Investigators said about 2,700 spruce tops were taken. They said he sold them for about $6 each. That totaled roughly $24,000 in sales.
The key issue was permission. Damaging or taking forest products from federal lands can be a crime without approval. Officials said Edminster had no authorization.
The federal case and sentence
The investigation was handled by the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations unit. The case was later announced through the U.S. Department of Justice.
Edminster pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of theft of government property. He was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and three years of probation.
He was also ordered to repay his earnings. The restitution total was $24,199, paid to the U.S. Forest Service.
Chippewa National Forest supervisor Darla Lenz said the agency would keep working to protect public forests.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino said taking plants or animals from federal lands is a serious crime. She also said cooperation helped reduce the penalty.
Similar cases have happened
Theft from public forests is not new in northern Minnesota. In 2013, two people were charged in Hibbing in a state timber theft case. They later pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay restitution.
Officials have also warned that supply disruptions can lead to more seasonal theft attempts.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.