Home Salt Lake City Press Releases 2009 Judge Sentences Redds to Probation for Felony Convictions in Utah Artifacts Case Ordered to Forfeit 812 Pieces...
Info
This is archived material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function.

Judge Sentences Redds to Probation for Felony Convictions in Utah Artifacts Case Ordered to Forfeit 812 Pieces from Artifacts Collection

U.S. Attorney’s Office September 16, 2009
  • District of Utah (801) 524-5682

SALT LAKE CITY—A federal judge today sentenced Jeanne Redd, age 59, and her daughter, Jericca Redd, age 37, both of Blanding, Utah, to terms of probation for their felony convictions as a part of a large artifacts case being prosecuted in Utah. The judge also ordered the Redds to forfeit 812 artifacts as a part of the resolution of their cases.

Jeanne Redd will serve 36 months of probation and pay a $2,000 fine. Her daughter, Jericca, will serve 24 months of probation. Both are prohibited from being on tribal or lands managed by federal agencies while they are on probation and they must refrain from any involvement in the purchase, sale, or exchange of artifacts. U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups issued the sentences in Salt Lake City.

Federal sentencing guidelines for Jeanne Redd were 18-24 months and federal prosecutors had agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of that range. The judge varied from the guideline range in sentencing her to probation. The sentencing guideline range for Jericca Redd was 0-6 months. Federal prosecutors recommended probation in this case, the low end of the sentencing guideline range.

"We asked for the low end of the sentencing guidelines in Jeanne Redd’s case. We thought a sentence of 18 months was appropriate given the serious nature of the conduct involved in this case. The judge, however, reached a different decision and we recognize that sentencing is within the court’s discretion," Brett L. Tolman, U.S. Attorney in Utah said today. "The public needs to understand that looting artifacts from public and tribal lands is simply not going to be tolerated. Many of these artifacts are considered sacred by Native Americans. It is clear that there is a continued need for education on the serious nature of these crimes."

Jeanne Redd pleaded guilty in July to seven counts of theft of government property, theft of tribal property, and trafficking in stolen artifacts, admitting that she possessed, displayed, exchanged, or sold a variety of items to a person she now knows to be a confidential source working with the FBI and BLM. She said she knew the items were taken from Native American prehistoric ruins on tribal lands or from public lands administered by the BLM or the Forest Service.

Jericca Redd pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of tribal property and excavation and transportation of archaeological artifacts. She admitted she traveled to the Navajo Nation Reservation in April 2008 to look for artifacts and removed a piece of pottery, which had been substantially buried in the earth, from the tribal lands. Others in her party also took items from the tribal lands. She admitted she transported them to her home in Blanding, cleaned and repaired them, and displayed them in her home.

Twelve indictments charging 24 defendants with violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act were unsealed in Salt Lake City in June following a two-year undercover FBI and BLM investigation targeting a network selling stolen Native American artifacts. A status conference for pending cases is set for Nov. 23, 2009, at 9 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Samuel Alba.

This content has been reproduced from its original source.