Former National Park Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Property

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - James Masters, 38, of Victor, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or around October 2025 to in or around February 2026, Masters was employed by the National Park Service when he stole approximately $150 from a donation box at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, part of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in Lansing, Fayette County. As part of his guilty plea, Masters admitted that he used his position to access and remove money from the donation box without permission or authority on several occasions, and covered surveillance cameras to avoid detection.

Masters is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. Masters also owes $150 in restitution.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Park Service.

United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy L. McLaughlin and Erik S. Goes are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-60.

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