Art dealer denies wrongdoing after artifact raid
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Filed Under:
Environment
|
Law
The attorney for a New Mexico art dealer says federal agents spent eight hours searching the home of his client and only left with three items.
Forrest Fenn's home was raided on June 10, the same day
Secretary Ken
Salazar announced the indictments of 24 people in connection with the theft and sale of Indian artifacts. Fenn cooperated with the search and denies any wrongdoing.
"The vast majority of items described as questionable were examined carefully and left at Forrest's home — the Hopi masks, the feathered bonnets, the ax handles," attorney Peter Schoenburg told The Santa Fe New Mexican. "They took expert archaeologists along with them and they spent eight hours and they left without any of that stuff. ... All of the insinuations in the warrant were apparently overblown."
Fenn has not been charged so far with any crimes. The
Interior Department has come under fire for the June 10 raids and arrests in Utah.
Get the Story:
Attorney: Feds took three items from Fenn
(The Santa Fe New Mexican 6/18)
Lawyer Says Art Dealer Did Nothing Wrong (The Albuquerque Journal 6/18)
Relevant Documents:
DOI
Press Release: Federal Agents Bust Ring of Antiquity Thieves Looting American
Indian Sites for Priceless Treasures |
DOJ
Press Release: Arrests Made in Operation Targeting Network Selling Stolen Native
American Artifacts |
Remarks
of Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden at a Press Conference
Related Stories:
<
Utah town upset over Indian artifact theft
case (6/17)
Column: 'Overkill' in Indian artifact theft
case (6/17)
Agents searched New Mexico art dealer's home
(6/17)
Utah town upset over
Indian artifact theft case (6/17)
Utah
GOP upset with Indian artifact theft case (6/15)
Tribes support prosecution of artifact theft case
(6/12)
Defendant in DOI artifact theft
case found dead (6/12)
Two dozen
indicted for theft of Indian artifacts (6/11)
Salazar, EchoHawk in Utah for press conference
(6/10)
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