PHILADELPHIA — Two visitors who allegedly crossed the line — literally — at one of America's most protected historic sites are now facing federal charges. United States Attorney David Metcalf announced on Monday, November 2, 2026, that Sean Gerlach, 50, of Fairview, North Carolina, and Dawn Hawa, also known as Dawn Benitez, 50, of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, have each been charged by information with offenses targeting the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
The case goes back to a visit on or about May 16, 2026. According to the information filed against Gerlach, he, Hawa and others visited the Liberty Bell Center that day. Prosecutors allege that Gerlach then jumped over the barrier that protects the Liberty Bell and forcefully pushed the bell until it swayed several times — an act no visitor is permitted to attempt, in a room where the public is kept behind a barrier precisely so that no one can touch the bell.
Hawa's alleged part was different. The information filed against her alleges that, during the same May 16 visit, she flicked an oily substance over the barrier protecting the bell. The substance hit the Liberty Bell and remained on it, and on the surrounding areas, prosecutors say. Federal authorities have not publicly described any permanent damage to the bell, and the announcements do not put a dollar figure on cleaning or restoration.
Caught on camera, questioned in July
The incident was captured on surveillance video, NBC Philadelphia reported, citing the criminal complaint in the case. On July 23, 2026, FBI agents interviewed Gerlach, who identified himself as the man in the video and admitted that he tried to ring the Liberty Bell, according to the complaint as reported by NBC Philadelphia. That admission, as described in the complaint, is an allegation recorded by investigators — what Gerlach says in his own defense in court will be a separate matter.
Source: NBC Philadelphia
The charges each defendant faces
Gerlach is charged with two counts in his information: tampering with property in a National Park, and trespassing on National Park property. If convicted, he faces a maximum of one year in prison. Hawa is charged with vandalism of property in a National Park, and if convicted she faces a maximum of six months in prison. The case was investigated jointly by the FBI and the National Park Service, the two agencies that together police federal historic property in Philadelphia.
Both defendants were charged by information — a formal accusation filed by prosecutors. The U.S. Attorney's Office stresses that the charges and allegations in the informations are merely accusations, and that every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Why the bell is guarded so closely
The Liberty Bell is housed inside the Liberty Bell Center, part of Independence National Historical Park in the centre of Philadelphia. During visiting hours the public may walk in and view the bell, but it stands surrounded by a barrier to prevent visitors from approaching it too closely. The bell is one of the best-known symbols of American independence, displayed a short walk from Independence Hall, and the park draws visitors from across the United States and around the world — including the large Punjabi and wider South Asian communities of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the US Northeast, for whom the Philadelphia historic district is a standard family day trip.
That setting is exactly why a stunt that might look like a prank becomes a federal case. Property inside a National Park is federal property, damage or tampering there is charged under federal law rather than by city police, and the investigation is handled by the FBI and the National Park Service rather than a local precinct. Monday's announcement is a reminder that the barrier around an exhibit is a legal line, not a suggestion — crossing it to touch, push or throw anything at a protected artifact can end in federal court.
What happens next
The informations filed on Monday start the court process for both defendants in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. No court date was announced in the federal releases, and neither defendant's plea has been reported. From here, each case will move through the ordinary federal steps — an initial court appearance, the chance to contest the allegations, and either a negotiated resolution or a trial — with the maximum penalties of one year for Gerlach and six months for Hawa hanging on the outcome. Awaaz Punjab will follow the case as court filings are updated.