FBI charges 24 in American Indian artifact looting : update1

[lostcauses]

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12561194
"For two years, someone close to a large network of archaeological looters in southeastern Utah was wired with an audio-visual recorder when buying ancient baby blankets, stone pipes, seed jars, digging sticks, pots, even a pre-Columbian menstrual pad.

This "Source," as he or she is identified in a search warrant affidavit unsealed Wednesday, is an insider who worked with U.S. Bureau of Land Management and FBI special agents to nab two dozen suspects in the theft and sale of more than 250 American Indian artifacts from the Four Corners area."

 

[Tnmountains]

Thanks for the update. I had not heard anything after the first two collectors had committed suicide. This has sure been a mess. In artifacts you have to leave the burials alone and be happy with that artifact on the surface. Thanks again this is all so sad.

 

[lostcauses]

I agree with it being a mess.
Folks getting busted killing themselves is not a good thing. from the talk about Ted, he was well involved in the game. He was a director of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA).

That group was founded in order to get some creditability to uses selling artifacts due to the influx of modern points, and rechiped being sold as real, causing problems in the market. (Devaluing the real thing).

Rumors of how he got into the law enforcement game abound, but it seems he was out in areas that had been looted and was just tiered of it. He thought this would do some thing about it. Also seems he might have had some tax problems also. He was payed quite a bit when he did this.
Regrettably it wont stop this stuff.
It may even with the media coverage of this mess increase the looting. (Folks going out to try and see if they can make money at it.)

I can understand his reaction of the looting. I took a trip up a river that is both state and federal land. In 50 miles length of the river I could only find one place that had not been looted. I remember the trip in the late 60s as a kid, there was a lot more to see. The destruction is unbelievable. Some sights that are easy to get to, don't have much shreds left. All the surface materiel has been carried off.

We only have the media to say what was going on with Ted. Seems he was having medical problems and started drinking again. Some rumored he was back into the drugs. He did not like how the feds were portraying him, and was trying (against the rules of his contract with the feds) to get his side of the stories out. With the two suicides and the one guy threatening him along with his personal issues: seems it was all to much for Ted.