Woman who cut national forest trees fined $100,000

A judge has spared a Nevada woman prison time but ordered her to pay a $100,000 fine for hiring a company to chop down three large trees on national forest land to improve her home's view of Lake Tahoe.

Judge Brian Sandoval accepted a plea deal Wednesday that also called for 57-year-old Patricia Vincent to do 80 hours of community service.

Sandoval could have sentenced Vincent to up to six months in prison. He says he decided against it because he felt she had been embarrassed and humiliated by the publicity of the case and seems to have learned her lesson.

Vincent has already paid the restitution and completed her community service.

She had the 80- to 100-year-old Ponderosa pines removed in April 2007.

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She should have been given the maximum prison time and fined and community service!

The height of the gall to cut trees on the public's land to improve your private view of a lake is unforgivable.