Pierce Brosnan, the legendary actor known, among other things, for playing the lead character in several James Bond films, has pled guilty to a crime.
According to Fox News, the crime Brosnan is guilty of is "stepping off a trail in a thermal area during a visit to Yellowstone National Park on Nov. 1, 2023."
Brosnan entered his guilty plea on Thursday.
The actor did not appear in the courtroom, which is located in Mammoth, Wyoming. But, rather, he made his appearance by way of telephone. He essentially called into the court hearing.
The Hollywood Reporter provides more details about the incident that led to the charges.
The outlet reports, "Brosnan, 70, walked in an off-limits area at Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone near the Wyoming-Montana line, on Nov. 1, according to citations issued by the park. He was in the park on a personal visit and not for film work, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Wyoming has said."
Brosnan may have gotten away with this. But, he posted online pictures of himself in the thermal area, which is what led to the charges.
The Hollywood Reporter continued, "Mammoth Terraces is a scenic spot of mineral-encrusted hot springs bubbling from a hillside. They are just some of the park’s hundreds of thermal features . . . Going out of bounds in such areas can be dangerous . . . Getting caught can bring legal peril."
Brosnan, for his violation, has been fined $500, and he has been ordered to make a $1,000 donation to the nonprofit Yellowstone Forever. This is a far cry from what prosecutors wanted, which was a $5,000 fine and a two-year probationary sentence.
Brosnan did release a statement on the matter on his official Instagram page. He did so on Thursday, March 14, 2024, after the court hearing.
In his statement, Brosnan characterized his action - the one that led to the charges - as "an impulsive mistake."
"As an environmentalist, I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world. However, I made an impulsive mistake - one that I do not take lightly - when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph," Brosnan wrote.
The actor said that, when he did so, he "did not see a 'No Trespassing' sign posted that warned of danger." Brosnan also said that he did not "hike in the immediate area."
Brosnan concluded his statement, writing, "I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy."
