A Rockbridge County resident has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after being convicted of unlawfully cutting and removing timber from a national forest. Matthew Keith Miller, 35, was tried in federal court on October 9, 2025, and found guilty of damaging trees and taking timber without authorization.
The case began when an anonymous tipster alerted the U.S. Forest Service on January 18, 2025, about several downed locust trees in a restricted area near Petites Gap Road in Rockbridge County. The individual also provided a photograph of a truck used to transport the wood, which investigators linked to Miller.
Miller acknowledged that he had taken trees from Petites Gap Road on that date. He stated he possessed a wood cutting permit and claimed only dead timber was removed. However, officials determined his permit specifically prohibited harvesting in the Petites Gap Road area.
Upon inspection, a Forest Service officer discovered numerous live trees had been felled at the site where Miller removed timber. Additionally, evidence showed Miller posted multiple advertisements for large quantities of locust timber for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
Acting U.S. Attorney Robert N. Tracci announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Forest Service Investigations.
