Winston-Salem man fined after admitting to vandalizing door on Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

A Winston-Salem man pleaded guilty earlier this month in federal court to vandalizing the original bronze door at the base of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in June 2018, after a tip from the public led to his arrest.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore asked for help from the public identifying the perpetrator through social media and local outlets.

Shortly after the information was published, a tip was received that helped National Park Service rangers focus their efforts on 39-year-old Jamie Lester Underwood.

Investigators determined Underwood used a pocket knife to etch the letters “SEF” into the lighthouse’s original bronze door.

Underwood appeared in federal court on July 8 before Chief U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle in Elizabeth City, who ordered Underwood to pay $1,922 in restitution for repairs and serve one year of probation.

Earlier this year, a conservator treated the affected area of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse door.

The original bronze door was in-painted with heavy body acrylic paint until a more permanent fix could be made. The conservator will return next month to complete the door treatment.