Forestry vandal sentenced to 12 years

Stephen Foster, the man charged with vandalizing Alaska Division of Forestry property last summer, will spend 12 years in prison.

Foster received the sentence on Friday and asked for forgiveness from the fire crews.

The vandalism occurred last summer while crews were busy fighting fires near Fairbanks.  The forestry building in Palmer was broken into.  Passports, I-pods, computers and other items were taken.  Foster took clothing from lockers and urinated on the items. At the sentencing Foster denied he had done such an act and said it was water from an Igloo cooler that had tipped over onto the clothing.

Foster also stole 5 vehicles from the forestry lot, returning multiple times.  Some of those vehicles were recovered on the Kenai Peninsula.

The list of charges was lengthy and ranged from criminal mischief to vehicle theft to violation of probation.

Judge Eric Smith imposed a 20-year sentence on Foster, who has a long history of drug addiction and criminal behavior.  He received 8 years of suspension and will serve 12 ye