Inset: A man identified as Lucas Reisinger (National Park Service/Instagram). Background: Little Round Top in Gettysburg National Military Park (National Park Service).
A Pennsylvania resident has been taken into custody this month for allegedly defacing two war memorials at the historic Gettysburg National Military Park, officials revealed.
Lucas J. Reisinger, aged 36, faces charges of two counts related to the destruction or harm of veterans’ memorials, as stated in an indictment presented in a federal court in Pennsylvania late last month.
The acts of vandalism in question are said to have happened on September 14, 2025. Reisinger is accused of damaging “a bronze plaque at the observation deck level of the 44th New York Infantry Monument” and “a bronze bas-relief of Colonel Patrick O’Rorke on the monument dedicated to the 140th New York Infantry Regiment,” as outlined in the charging documents.
A federal judge issued an arrest warrant for Reisinger on February 18, coinciding with the grand jury’s indictment, according to court records. National Park Service rangers, in collaboration with the Carlisle Police Department, apprehended the accused on March 6, as noted in a press release.
While the court documents currently offer limited information, the arrest announcement sheds some light on the alleged events.
On the day of the reported vandalism, park rangers received a tip about an individual “using a knife to carve his initials into a monument.” This incident reportedly took place at Little Round Top, a prominent rocky hill that oversees the southern boundary of the iconic Gettysburg battlefield.
The ensuing investigation determined the initials “LJR” had been carved into both the plaque and the face of O’Rorke’s relief portrait.
The damage to both monuments was substantial, authorities say.
“Each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1369 carries a maximum penalty of $250,000 and up to 10 years in federal prison,” the press release goes on. “The National Park Service will also seek full restitution, estimated at more than $11,000, for the damaged monuments.”
In the aftermath of the graffiti, the park itself released an image of the man believed to be responsible – a photo taken by another visitor.
“The individual who took the picture could hear the scratching, the scraping taking place before they could see the individual doing the damage,” a spokesperson for the National Park Service told York-based Fox affiliate WPMT.
After Reisinger was arrested this week, the indictment was unsealed.
On Monday, the defendant was appointed a federal public defender, according to court records. Reisinger pleaded not guilty.
Also on Monday, the defendant appeared before Chief Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom and was granted pretrial release.
Under the terms of his release, he is not allowed to possess a firearm, drink excessive alcohol, or use CBD products, and must submit to drug testing. His travel is also limited to the Middle District of Pennsylvania and he must abide by a strict curfew.
A jury trial in the case is currently scheduled to begin on May 4 and will be overseen by U.S. District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, whom President Donald Trump appointed during his first term.
