| Contacts: | Melodie Rydalch | , U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah | , 801-243-6475 | |
| Craig Leff | , Department of Interior/BLM | , 202-549-9218 | ||
| Jeff Krauss | , Department of Interior/BLM | , 202-452-5128 | ||
| Juan Becerra | , FBI Field Office in Salt Lake City | , 801-514-3672 |
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH--Twelve indictments charging 24 defendants = with=20 violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) = and the=20 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) = were=20 unsealed this morning in Salt Lake City. Arrest warrants were = issued for=20 23 of the 24 individuals charged as a part of the investigation. = Twelve=20 search warrants also are being executed. The case involves 256 = artifacts=20 totaling $335,685. (See end of news release for list of=20 defendants, sample search warrant, and indictments).
"Let this case serve notice to anyone who is = considering=20 breaking these laws and trampling our nation=92s cultural heritage = that the=20 Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Justice, and the = federal=20 government will track you down and bring you to justice," said = Secretary=20 of the Interior Ken Salazar. "As these alleged criminals are = prosecuted=20 and as federal agents continue to hunt down wrong doers, BLM = cultural=20 resources staff will work to ensure the proper recovery, = identification,=20 repatriation, and storage of the artifacts that have been=20 confiscated."
Interior=92s Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs = Larry Echo=20 Hawk said, "The problem American Indian and Alaska Native tribes = face of=20 looters robbing them of their cultural patrimony is a major law=20 enforcement issue for federal agencies responsible for enforcing = historic=20 preservation laws in Indian Country. Today=92s action should give = tribes=20 reassurance that the Obama Administration is serious in preserving = and=20 protecting their cultural property."
The indictments were announced this morning in Salt = Lake City=20 by Secretary Salazar; Assistant Secretary Echo Hawk; Deputy = Attorney=20 General David W. Ogden of the U.S. Department of Justice; Brett L. = Tolman,=20 U.S Attorney in Utah; and Timothy J. Fuhrman, Special Agent in = Charge of=20 the FBI=92s Salt Lake City Field Office.
In addition to ARPA and NAGPRA violations, the = indictments=20 allege theft of government property, depredation of government = property,=20 and theft of Indian tribal property. The indictments unsealed = today were=20 returned by a grand jury in Utah and charge defendants in Utah, = New=20 Mexico, and Colorado. A list of defendants is included as an = attachment to=20 this press release. Defendants charged in federal indictments are = presumed=20 innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
"These archaeological treasures are precious and = protecting=20 them preserves a rich history and heritage," said Deputy Attorney = General=20 Ogden. "That is why the Justice Department will use all of its = tools to=20 vigorously enforce the laws designed to safeguard the cultural = heritage of=20 Native Americans. Recommitting resources and focus to criminal = justice in=20 Indian Country is of paramount importance to the Justice = Department. We=20 are currently conducting a training initiative with the Interior=20 Department for federal prosecutors and law enforcement personnel = on=20 looting, vandalism, and illegal trafficking of cultural heritage, = and are=20 planning to reach out to with Indian Country leaders in the near = future to=20 engage in an ongoing consultation on these issues."
"The indictments unsealed today charge a group of = defendants,=20 largely excavators, dealers, and collectors, with serious = violations of=20 federal law," U.S. Attorney Tolman said. "Those who remove or = damage=20 artifacts on public or tribal lands take something from all of us. = These=20 treasures are the heritage of all Americans, and in many cases, = the=20 objects are sacred to Native Americans. The notion that you can = take=20 whatever you want from public lands is wrong. Individuals engaged = in this=20 kind of conduct will be investigated and prosecuted."
"The FBI has taken this matter seriously and spent a=20 significant amount of personnel and financial resources in = exposing this=20 network of individuals illegally trafficking in these items," said = FBI=20 Special Agent in Charge Fuhrman. "The FBI remains committed to = devoting=20 all necessary resources to address this problem."
The Four Corners region, rich in archaeological = resources,=20 contains artifacts that are vitally important to the scientific, = academic,=20 and Native American communities. The illegally obtained relics = include=20 decorated Anasazi pottery, an assortment of burial and ceremonial = masks, a=20 buffalo headdress, and ancient sandals known to be associated with = Native=20 American burials. Additionally, improperly excavated archeological = sites=20 mean a significant amount of historical information is lost = because the=20 artifacts are not identified in the context of where they were=20 located.
Defendants will have initial appearances before U.S. = Magistrate=20 Judge Samuel Alba at the Grand County Courthouse in Moab = Wednesday. The=20 U.S. Attorney=92s Office is seeking to detain one of the = defendants. Others=20 will be ordered to maintain and store in current condition all = artifacts=20 in their possession and engage in reasonable efforts to protect = them from=20 damage, destruction, loss or theft. One defendant is not being = arrested=20 and will be issued a summons to appear in federal court.
ARPA prohibits the unauthorized excavation and = removal of=20 archaeological resources on federal lands as well as the unlawful = sale,=20 purchase, or exchange of such resources. Under NAGPRA, any Native = American=20 human remains, funerary objects, objects of cultural patrimony and = sacred=20 objects must be repatriated to Indian tribes. The BLM will consult = with=20 tribes to determine cultural affiliation and to facilitate = repatriation.=20 For artifacts not subject to NAGPRA, the BLM will work with = museums to=20 stabilize, identify, and preserve them under the provisions of = ARPA, and=20 make them available for scientific research and public = education.
Agents from the Department of the Interior=92s Bureau of Land = Management=20 and the FBI, joined by the U.S. Marshals and local and state law=20 enforcement partners, were simultaneously arresting defendants and = executing search warrants in Utah Wednesday morning following a = more than=20 two-year undercover operation targeting a network of individuals = allegedly=20 involved in the sale, purchase, and exchange of artifacts = illegally taken=20 from public or Indian lands in the Four Corners region of the = country. The=20 investigation represents the nation=92s largest investigation of=20 archaeological and cultural artifact thefts.
U.S. Department of Justice
Brett L. =
Tolman,=20
United States Attorney, District of Utah
Defendants in ARPA/NAGPRA cases
Richard Bourret
COURT DOCUMENTS
Individual Indictments