Snowboarders Found Guilty of Trespassing

Two snowboarders who became lost in February, triggering a massive search-and-rescue operation, were found guilty Thursday of knowingly leaving the boundaries of an area ski resort, a misdemeanor trespassing charge that carries a maximum sentence of up to six months in jail and a fine of $10,000.

Claudio Maluje, 28, of North Hollywood, and Patrick Jenks, 24, of Glendale, are due back in Los Angeles Municipal Judge Barbara Lee Burke’s courtroom July 10 for sentencing.

“We won’t be asking the judge for jail time,” said Lonnie Felker, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case. “But we will be asking for restitution of the $23,000 that it cost to rescue them.”

The rescue effort at Snow Crest Ski Resort, about 30 miles north of Glendale, included 65 volunteer and police and fire searchers, as well as a county helicopter. The effort lasted more than 24 hours and “was conducted during bad weather, with a potential for avalanches,” Felker said. “It was dangerous work.”

Jenks did not attend Thursday’s proceedings. Maluje said the verdict was “unfair and wrong.

“It’s a sham,” he said. “I can’t believe this.”

Maluje said he had not decided yet whether to appeal.

“It’s been very draining, and unfortunately, it ended up wrong,” said James Jenks, Patrick’s father.

Patrick Jenks, who is applying to become a Los Angeles police officer, spent Thursday at an LAPD training event, his father said, explaining why his son was not present for the verdict. Although the defense contended that bad weather and lack of boundary markers and warning signs at Snow Crest resulted in the snowboarders’ unknowingly leaving the ski area, jurors said they rejected that claim quickly.

“We felt that they did go out of bounds to look for fresh powder to ski on, and that’s breaking the law,” said juror Janice Ball, 48, of Altadena. “There were signs posted, and the trails were so that you couldn’t go out of bounds without knowing it. It’s just like if there’s a no-parking sign. You don’t park.”

The jury deliberated less than three hours over two days.

The case was followed closely by Snow Crest and other ski facilities, said Roger Wallace, the Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who managed the search effort and was a witness for the prosecution.

“Snow Crest is going to put warnings on ski lift tickets saying that skiers are liable for leaving the boundary areas,” he said.

One juror, who declined to give his name, said he initially believed the prosecution was seeking to send a message with this case, which came in the wake of high-profile skiing deaths.

“Michael Kennedy dies, then Sonny Bono. I thought these two were going to be made a symbol,” the juror said. “But I realized they went out of bounds and knew it.”