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Two men sentenced for stealing 'music wood' from Olympic National Park

Evidence of maple tree cut down in Olympic National Park. Credit: NPS Investigative Services Branch

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two men were sentenced to prison and will pay thousands of dollars in restitution after cutting down a big leaf maple tree in Olympic National Park and selling it to a music wood supplier.

Federal officials say the two men entered the park at night and cut down the tree in November 2013.

A witness told investigators that they heard chainsaws and saw the men in the woods wearing headlamps. The next night, the witness heard the chainsaws again and alerted park officials.

Rangers arrived to find three men cutting up the fallen maple tree and took them into custody.

According to court documents, investigators found a receipt that indicated the men sold the wood to a local music wood supplier. The wood retrieved from the supplier matched the fallen maple.

The value of the timber as music wood is estimated to be $8,766, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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The men have been identified as 63 year-old Michael Welches and 50 year-old Matthew Hutto. The third man involved in the crime is currently incarcerated on an unrelated charge and will be sentenced at a later date.

Welches was sentenced to 30 days in prison and Hutton will serve 60 days in prison. Hutto will also serve two years of probation.

Both men must also pay $17,533 in restitution.

"The tree as a living part of the Elwha ecosystem is irreplaceable,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in statement. “The natural resources in our federally protected lands belong to all of us, and to future generations - not to thieves making a quick buck."