Pierce Brosnan has pleaded guilty to going in an off-limits area of Yellowstone National Park, reversing his earlier plea of not guilty after he received two federal citations.
The 70-year-old actor was accused of committing two petty offenses — “foot travel in all thermal areas and w/in Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails” and “violating closures and use limits” — at the park in Wyoming last fall.
According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court, Brosnan pleaded guilty Thursday to the foot travel offense and the other citation was dismissed.
The James Bond actor must pay a $500 fine and make a $1,000 donation to Yellowstone Forever, a nonprofit organization that runs educational programs in the national park and raises money for it.
In an Instagram post Thursday, Brosnan apologized for making an “impulsive mistake,” writing:
As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world. However, I made an impulsive mistake – one that I do not take lightly – when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph. I did not see a “No Trespassing” sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area. I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy. #StayOnThePath
On or about Nov. 1, Brosnan posted photos on Instagram showing him standing on a Yellowstone thermal feature, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Wyoming. The photos appear to have since been deleted.
“There are signs posted in the area that warn visitors of the dangers of thermal features and state that visitors must remain on the designated boardwalks and trails,” the U.S. attorney’s office said in a news release.
At the time, Brosnan had been filming a new Western, “The Unholy Trinity,” at the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana, NBC Montana reported.
Brosnan is far from the first person to violate National Park Service rules at Yellowstone, where many dangerous — even deadly — incidents involving hot springs have occurred. The park’s hot springs can reach up to 345 degrees Fahrenheit and geysers can erupt suddenly, spraying boiling hot water and steam into the air.
