(CNN) — Irish actor Pierce Brosnan was fined $500 and must pay $1,000 in community service to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Fund for walking through thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park late last year, the Wyoming District Attorney’s Office reported.
Brosnan changed his plea this Thursday and the judge imposed the sentence, according to court summaries.
In January of this year, the actor, who played Agent 007 in the films, pleaded not guilty to a citation issued on Dec. 26 for “traveling through all thermal areas and through Yellowstone Canyon on foot, limited to trails … and trespassing.” Closed and usage limit,” CNN previously reported. A second charge of violation of closure and use restrictions was dismissed without prejudice, court records show.
In an Instagram post published this Thursday, Brosnan indicated that he did not see the sign prohibiting entry to the thermal area, but admitted that he had made a mistake.
“As an environmentalist I have great respect and love for our natural world. However, I made an impulsive mistake—one I do not take lightly—by entering a snow-covered thermal area in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph,” the release reads. “I did not see the hazard warning ‘No Trespassing’ sign nor did I walk through the area. I deeply regret my transgression and sincerely apologize to everyone for trespassing on this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all of our national parks must be cared for. . For and saved. For everyone to enjoy. #StayOnThePath.”
According to a press release from the United States Department of Justice, the prosecutor’s office asked the court to sentence the actor to two years of probation and pay a maximum fine of US$5,000.
Around Nov. 1, 2023, Brosnan posted photos on his Instagram page of himself standing at the hot springs at Mammoth Hot Springs inside the park, the court document cited in the news release. The court document does not appear in the case’s public file, and CNN reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to obtain the document.
“Signs are posted in the area warning visitors of the dangers of thermal facilities and suggesting that visitors stay on designated boardwalks and trails,” officials said.
“The National Park Service (NPS) reminds visitors to Yellowstone that the soil in the hot springs is fragile and thin, and lies just below the surface of the boiling water. Therefore, trespassing in the hot springs is dangerous. And can damage the park’s fragile natural resources, ” the Justice Department said in a statement.
