A Marana man has been sentenced to one year of probation and fined $10,000 for damaging cacti and other vegetation in the Ironwood Forest National Monument northwest of Tucson.
John Samuel Rahe, 50, was sentenced last week by U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie A. Bowman after previously pleading guilty to resource damage and littering.
Rahe will pay the $10,000 restitution to the Bureau of Land Management.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Rahe in March 2015 drove his Polaris Ranger ATV off road within the monument's boundaries, running over and destroying two small saguaros, a palo verde tree and more than 30 cacti and shrubs.
When his vehicle became stuck, Rahe attempted to free it by attaching a winch cable to an 8-foot saguaro, which resulted in the cactus being pulled over and destroyed.
He was also cited for leaving beer cans behind.
