Guilty plea in stabbing hoax involving Colorado state park

Roughly six months after the report of a park ranger getting stabbed prompted the evacuation of Colorado’s Staunton State Park, the man behind what’s been since described as an elaborate hoax has struck a plea deal.

On August 19, seasonal park ranger Callum Heskett reported that he had been stabbed at the Conifer-area park, resulting in a large-scale manhunt for a potential suspect. While that search was underway, Heskett was transported to a local hospital with a serious torso injury. Heskett was later accused of lying about the incident and stabbing himself.

Per a February 23 report from 9News, Heskett has pled guilty to attempting to influence a public servant and false reporting of an emergency, set to serve a sentence of three years of probation and to pay $16,700 in restitution. As part of that plea deal, all other charges related to the incident have been dismissed. It should also be noted that the deal establishes that Heskett will not be eligible for future law enforcement recertification.

Learn more about the deal and this case here.

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