Zachary T. Lee Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
Coby Brummett has been sentenced to serve 30 days in prison after pleading guilty to illegally harvesting ginseng at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. This decision follows his conviction for digging up over 300 ginseng roots within the park's boundaries.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee emphasized the importance of protecting natural resources found within national parks. "Our national parks and the resources within, like Ginseng, are natural resources maintained for the benefit of all our citizens and not forms of currency to be poached and sold-off for profit," stated Lee. He underscored the role of his office in safeguarding these resources, partly by taking legal action against offenders like Brummett. "This case is a warning to those who may try to use these resources for their own benefit. I am grateful to the National Park Service for their diligence in keeping our national parks vibrant and safe."
Lisa Baldwin, Superintendent of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, reiterated the park's commitment to conservation. “Preserving natural and cultural resources like these on behalf of current and future generations of Americans is a central part of our mission,” she said. Baldwin also acknowledged the efforts of staff and partners in achieving the case's resolution.
In addition to his prison sentence, Brummett must pay $6,240.25 in restitution to the National Park Service and is banned from entering Cumberland Gap National Historical Park for three years. The case was investigated by the National Park Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Hall.
