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Man pleads guilty to vandalizing Cape Hatteras Lighthouse door

The 39-year-old was ordered to pay $1,922 in restitution for repairs, and he was placed on one year of probation.

HATTERAS, N.C. — A man from Winston-Salem, North Carolina pleaded guilty to vandalizing the original bronze door of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

On July 8, 2019, 39-year-old Jamie Lester Underwood appeared in federal court and made his plea. He was ordered to pay $1,922 in restitution for repairs and was placed on one year of probation.

RELATED: Bronze door at historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse vandalized

On June 13, 2018, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore asked for help solving this crime through a Facebook post. Shortly after the post was made, they received a tip that helped National Park Service Rangers focus their efforts on Jamie Underwood. 

Someone vandalized an original bronze door at the historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse recently. The letters "SEF" were etched on the door of the century-old structure.

During his visit to Cape Hatteras National Seashore last year, Underwood used a pocket knife to etch the letters “SEF” into the lighthouse’s original bronze door.

A conserver was able to treat the affected area of the door earlier this year. The original bronze door was painted with heavy body acrylic paint until a more permanent fix could be made. The conservator will return next month to complete the door treatment.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark that was built in 1870.

RELATED: July 1 marked 20th anniversary of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse's move

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