TUCSON, AZ -- A Tucson man was sentenced Tuesday to eight months in federal prison for stealing cacti from Saguaro National Park West.
Federal prosecutors say 50-year-old Joseph Tillman and another man were seen removing four saguaros from the park on Jan. 12, 2007.
Court records show the two men were pulled over by U.S. Park Service officers driving a pickup truck with four cacti under a tarp in the truck bed.
It was determined two of the saguaros were taken from within the park, which is a violation of a federal law that protects wildlife and plants from being taken, possessed, transported or sold.
Tillman pleaded guilty in the case and also was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
The other defendant also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced Nov. 4.
