Vanessa Hudgens is in trouble with the law — and it’s all in the name of love. The Grease: Live star, 27, spent Valentine’s weekend with her boyfriend, Austin Butler, in Sedona, Arizona, and the pair allegedly carved their names in a heart into the famous red rock formations.
The problem is that defacing a national feature on U.S. Forest Service land is a violation of federal law, and could be punishable with a fine of up to $5,000 or six months behind bars, Coconino National Forest Public Affairs Officer Brady Smith tells Us Weekly.
“This incident is currently under investigation, so there is not much I can share specifically since I am not privy to the details of an investigation until it is complete,” Smith continued. “However, I can say that the issue of people carving their names and other things in rocks in the Sedona and surrounding area is always a challenge we face, and try to inform people about its destructive nature. We have found that when one person carves something, it encourages others to carve.”
Authorities first caught wind of Hudgens’ alleged handiwork on Monday, February 15, after she posted a photo of the carving to her Instagram on Sunday. The post has since been deleted, though the High School Musical alum has shared plenty of other photos of herself and Butler, 24, in the stunning landscape.
“@austinbutler #sedonadreams,” she captioned a selfie of the two of them together against a bright blue sky, red rocks and plentiful greenery.
In yet another photo, Hudgens sits cross-legged on the dirt in a pair of shredded jeans and a sports bra as she gazes out over the land.
It’s been a long few weeks for the actress, who laid her father, Greg Hudgens, to rest on Tuesday, February 9, a little over a week after he passed away following a long battle with stage IV cancer on January 30.
“Rest in peace daddy,” Hudgens captioned a photo of the late firefighter in uniform.
The Spring Breakers actress bravely portrayed Betty Rizzo on Fox’s three-hour telecast of Grease: Live just one day after Greg’s death, performing in tribute to her late father.
“It was incredibly hard for her,” a source told Us Weekly of Hudgens’ standout performance. “But she’s a true entertainer, so it was on with the show.”