Mark Aaron Gatz, 65, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to violating federal fire restrictions and unlawfully residing in Arizona's Tonto National Forest for approximately eight years. The sentencing follows his arrest on June 25, when a U.S. Forest Service officer discovered an illegal campsite with an active campfire, despite stringent fire bans in place.
During the encounter, Gatz admitted to investigators that he had been living in the national forest for about eight years and knew about the fire restrictions but stated he "had to have fire to eat." Court records indicate that Forest Service officers had previously contacted Gatz multiple times over the past year, issuing warnings and a violation notice concerning campfires during restricted periods.
Authorities found Gatz's makeshift campsite littered with approximately 1,000 pounds of trash, including tires, plastic bags, aluminum cans, and other debris spread across roughly half an acre of Forest Service land. The accumulation of trash was described by officers as a public safety concern. During earlier visits this year, officers observed clothing, pans, tools, and plastic cups, along with a four-foot-tall structure built from wooden panels. In May, officers noted a campfire had been left unattended while still hot.
Records also revealed that Gatz had previously received multiple citations and had six outstanding federal arrest warrants related to earlier violations, such as building fires during fire restrictions, constructing structures on national forest land, maintaining unsanitary conditions, and occupying the forest as a residence.
Following his guilty plea, Gatz was sentenced to time served and three years of probation. He was also ordered to pay a $20 special assessment within 30 days of July 6, 2026. The court waived a fine due to his inability to pay and did not order restitution.