Judge sentences guide of illegal hike to 2-year ban from Buffalo National River, probation
A man who lead an illegal hike that ended with the death of a Springfield hiker has been sentenced to probation and a two-year ban from Buffalo National River.
Jeffrey Johnson was sentenced to two years of probation, $600 in fines and $80 in processing fees. He has been ordered to pay $2,686.27 in restitution, which equals the cost of search and rescue operations performed for members of his hiking group in spring 2022.
Johnson, 47, led a guided hike at what's known as Eye of the Needle in the Indian Creek area of the Buffalo National River in May and accepted payments of at least $20 for the service while in the Kyle’s Landing parking area of the park, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Arkansas.
On two separate occasions in the spring of 2022, Johnson led a group of hikers on a "very rugged and remote unofficial trail within Buffalo National River," according to the National Park Service. One of these hikes ended in a carryout of an injured hiker and another hike on May 7, 2022, ended in the death of a hiker within Johnson’s group.
Springfield resident Brad Lee Thomas, 46, fell approximately 15 feet from the path into shallow water and died on scene May 7, 2022. A search and rescue involving National Park Service, several area agencies and 47 individuals commenced and the body of Thomas was located.
Johnson ran a guided hiking service through Meetup.com. He was found to be soliciting donations and charging an annual membership fee for users of the online group.
The Bentonville, Ark. man was convicted in federal court December 2022 for hosting a hike and accepting money in a national park — both without a permit.
"Mr. Johnson advertised that hikers could pay the fee by check, by Paypal, or in person on the morning of their first hike," the National Park Service stated. "An investigation showed that Mr. Johnson had never applied for nor received a permit to operate a business within the park."
The permit system is "paramount" for ensuring visitor experiences, the service continued.
"A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) permit allows for approved commercial activities to occur in the park while ensuring visitor safety and the preservation and protection of park resources," the service added. "Providing services or operating a business for compensation of any kind inside the park boundary is prohibited without a permit."
Sara Karnes is an Outdoors Reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Follow along with her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @Sara_Karnes. Got a story to tell? Email her at skarnes@springfi.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Judge sentences guide of illegal hike to 2-year ban, probation
