Two Men Sentenced for Illegal Mining and Vandalism on Sierra County Public and Private Lands
SIERRA, CA – Two men have entered no contest pleas and received sentences for their roles in an illegal mining and vandalism case in Sierra County, according to the Sierra County District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Sandra Groven announced that Gregory Arnoldi Jr., of Nevada City, and his father, Gregory Arnoldi Sr., of Browns Valley, were charged after constructing an unauthorized dirt road along Keystone Creek near Loganville. The activity resulted in damage to private land, United States Forest Service property, and historical mining artifacts.
Photo: Sierra County DA
Both defendants pleaded no contest to felony vandalism of public and private property, as well as misdemeanor counts of water pollution and stream alteration without state notification.
Each man was sentenced to 30 days in county jail, fined $8,135, and placed on three years of felony probation, during which all mining activity is prohibited. They are also required to design, permit, and execute a full property restoration plan at their own expense by Aug. 1, 2027. Failure to meet the restoration deadline will result in an additional eight months of jail time and over $30,000 in extra fines for each defendant.
The case was investigated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Matt Carr through the CalEPA-funded Circuit Prosecutor Project.
