Trail Runner condemned in court after cutting a single change

EITHERN September 2, 2024, the Michelino Sunseri corridor broke the speed record for accumulating Wyoming Grand Teton, but the achievement led to a federal conviction for reducing a change.

The incident

Michelino Sunseri, a 33 -year -old waiter and professional athlete, completed a round trip from Grand Teton in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 8 seconds, overcoming the previous time known faster for approximately 3 minutes.

However, in his descent, he used a shortcut known as the «Old Climber’s Trail», which overlooked a change and was marked with signs that said «closed for restoration» and «retreat shortcuts cause erosion.»

Sunseri openly posted on his route on social networks, which led to the fastest time known to withdraw his official speed record and the National Parks Service (NPS) to issue an appointment.

Legal and Administrative Fallout

Sunseri was accused of a minor class B crime under Federal Regulation 36 Cfr 2.1 (B), a punishable crime with up to six months in jail and a fine of $ 5,000. He rejected a guilt that included a five -year prohibition of the Grand Teton National Park, arguing that the path was historically used and poorly marked.

The internal emails of NPS revealed that the agency’s deputy director, Frank Lands, had withdrawn support for the Prosecutor’s Office, indicating that the proposed punishment was «outstruction based on the seriousness of the crime.» Despite this, the United States Prosecutor’s Office for the Wyoming district continued with the case.

The verdict and precedence

In September 2025, the American magistrate judge Stephanie Hambrick found Sunseri guilty of leaving a designated path. He pointed out in his verdict that he did not believe that the jail was justified. Sunseri now faces a sentence hearing in which a park prohibition and a park prohibition are likely to be determined.

The case has been described as «unprecedented» by legal observers and has become a point of inflammation for a broader debate about fiscal overreach. The Sunseri defense team argued that other runners and guides had used the same shortcut without consequence, which suggests a selective application case.

The Prosecutor’s Office argued that Sunseri’s public admission on social networks made it necessary to follow the case as a warning to others.

Outstanding image: Bradley J. Boner

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