Huge update after destruction of protected and delicate natural rock formations in beloved national park

Federal authorities have provided a major update in their investigation into two men who were caught on camera destroying a protected and fragile natural rock formation.

Wyatt Clifford Fain, 37, and Payden David Guy Cosper, 31, have been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly pushing “large chunks of ancient rock formations over the edge of a cliff to the ground below” in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in April. The US Department of Justice announced this on Friday.

The incident reportedly occurred while the two men were hiking on or near the Redstone Dunes Trail. Video captured by a witness of the incident shows the two men working hard to push the rock formation, which is estimated to be 140 million years old, off the edge.

Behind them stood a young girl, the daughter of one of the men, shocked and screaming occasionally as the rocks fell.

“Daddy, don’t fall,” she screams as the two men push the boulders over the edge and watch as they break as they tumble down the cliff.

Payden David Guy Cosper, 31, (pictured) and Wyatt Clifford Fain, 37, are each charged with injury to and destruction of government property and aiding and abetting.

Officials at the time called the behavior extremely damaging, noting that the centuries-old stones cannot be repaired.

John Haynes, a park spokesperson, said KVVU: ‘It’s one of my favorite spots in the park and they’re just destroying it. I don’t understand it.’

“Why would you even do something like that? Why on earth would you do this? This almost feels like a personal attack,” he added.

Federal prosecutors now say Fain and Cosper’s actions resulted in more than $1,000 in damages.

The two men are therefore each charged with injury to and destruction of government property and with complicity.

The men were reportedly captured on camera working hard to push the ancient rock formation off the edge of a cliff

They were arrested by the US Marshals Service and the pair made their first court appearance on Friday, where they both pleaded not guilty. according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

They were then released on their own initiative, meaning that all they had to do was take an oath to be released.

But court documents obtained by DailyMail.com show that Fain has previous arrests for charges including assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving, destruction of personal property and domestic battery by strangulation.

If Fain and Cosper are found guilty of the new charges for allegedly destroying the ancient rock formation, they could both face up to 10 years in prison.

Their jury trial is scheduled for October 8.

In the meantime, authorities are asking visitors to Lake Mead Park to be vigilant.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, just outside Las Vegas, receives about 6 million visitors each year.

Park staff cannot physically be present everywhere in the 6,000 square kilometer area, so they sometimes rely on the public to monitor certain areas of the park.

“It’s 1.5 million acres. We’ve got two major lakes, a stretch of the Colorado River. It’s going to be pretty tough to be everywhere at once, given the amount of personnel we have,” Haynes said.

To help park staff keep an eye on things, the National Park Service has set up a tip line that receives thousands of reports each year.