Three more people charged with damaging Reflecting Pool after Trump’s multimillion-dollar restoration
Three more people charged over Reflecting Pool damage
Three more people charged with damaging the historic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have been formally accused in federal court. Legal proceedings were initiated against Cameron Thiers, Sophie Dennison-Gibby, and Justin Carreno following an incident that occurred during a Saturday afternoon in June. According to official court filings, authorities apprehended the trio while they were allegedly removing sections of blue paint from the iconic water feature. The charges mark another development in a series of incidents involving the Washington, D.C. landmark.
Arrest Details and Officer Testimony
Court documents reveal that law enforcement officers directly observed the individuals interacting with the pool’s surface during the incident. One officer specifically noted seeing Carreno reach into the water and extract a fragment of the blue coating. Meanwhile, the officer responsible for detaining Dennison-Gibby discovered an additional piece of the pool’s liner concealed within her handbag. These observations formed the basis for the misdemeanor charges filed against all three individuals.
All three encounters were captured on body-worn cameras worn by the responding officers. The arrest involved a collaborative effort among multiple law enforcement organizations stationed at the Reflecting Pool, working alongside the United States Park Police. Officers from several states participated in the operation, including those from Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, and California. This multi-agency response highlighted the significance of the incident to federal authorities.
Thiers “admitted to removing a piece of blue sealant from the Reflecting Pool and still had it in his hand when I made contact with him,” one officer stated in court documents.
Legal Proceedings and Potential Consequences
The three defendants appeared before a judge on Wednesday for their arraignment hearing. They entered pleas of not guilty to misdemeanor charges of property destruction, with the alleged damage valued at less than one thousand dollars. The presiding judge issued an order requiring the individuals to maintain distance from the Reflecting Pool area as a condition of their release. This precautionary measure ensures the defendants do not return to the scene while the case proceeds through the legal system.
Legal representatives for Thiers and Dennison-Gibby chose not to provide public statements regarding the charges. CNN has contacted Carreno’s attorney for potential comment. Should the defendants be found guilty, they face financial penalties of up to one thousand dollars and could serve a maximum of one hundred eighty days in jail. The misdemeanor classification means the consequences, while serious, are relatively limited compared to felony charges.
Context and Additional Charges
The New York Times initially reported on these additional charges. This development follows President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that vandals inflicted significant harm to the pool’s lining. The president has claimed this damage occurred after his administration invested more than fourteen million dollars in renovation work, although he has not presented concrete evidence to substantiate these allegations. The timing of these charges has added another layer to the ongoing debate about the pool’s condition.
Importantly, the officers who filed charges against Carreno, Thiers, and Dennison-Gibby did not accuse them of gashing the pool’s lining. Their charges specifically relate to the removal of smaller paint fragments rather than major structural damage. This distinction is crucial in understanding the nature of the allegations against these three individuals.
Separately, former Olympic canoeist David Hearn received a grand jury indictment in Washington, DC, last week for allegedly damaging the same water feature. Unlike the three recently charged individuals, Hearn faces charges for destruction of property valued at more than one thousand dollars. This higher-level charge carries a potential maximum sentence of ten years in prison if convicted. His court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that maintenance crews began draining the Reflecting Pool over the weekend to conduct necessary repairs. This marks the second time in three months that the pool has been emptied for restoration work. The drainage operation follows weeks of complications affecting the landmark, including algae blooms, discolored green water, a deteriorating bottom surface, and the administration’s claims of vandalism. These ongoing issues have transformed the historic site into a subject of widespread national attention.
