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.
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.
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.