Two More US Artefact Collectors Escape Jail

Well, a pattern is emerging, after huge expenditure of resources over two and a half years all we are seeing in one of America's biggest artefacts 'busts' is pitifully minimalist sentencing. Two more Utahns caught in a federal illegal artifacts-trafficking sting were sentenced on chargesd of illegal excavation and artefact trafficking on Wednesday and, as with three previous individuals in the case, both avoided prison.

This time U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball sentenced Moab resident Brent Bullock, 62, to five years’ probation. Bullock had pleaded guilty in March to the accusations and faced maximum potential fines of $500,000 and up to 10 years in prison. Bullock admitted he sold a blanket scrap, a digging tool and a fire board to undercover operative Ted Gardiner and offered to sell ancient ceramic figurines, all of which were stolen from public land.

Judge Kimball also sentenced Tammy Shumway, 40, to 36 months of probation, including six months of home confinement. She too pleaded guilty in March to the misdemeanors of which she was accused and also had faced maximum potential fines of $500,000 and up to 10 years in prison. Shumway is the widow of Earl Shumway, who in the 1990s served time for looting graves for artifacts to sell.

Speaking to the court, Shumway said that, despite her husband’s history, she hadn’t understood the cultural offense of disturbing ancient Puebloan sites. “I’m sorry for my involvement,” she said. “Until this I didn’t realize the impact of such actions.” She declined further comment after the hearing.

She "had not realised". Hmmm. Despite her husband going to prison for it, she'd not really reflected on it, so how effective are these probation sentences going to be to defer future looting?

Bullock and Shumway are restricted from entering public and tribal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service or the National Wildlife Refuge System during their probations, with or without shovels.

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Dennis Romboy, '2 receive probation for selling American Indian artifacts', Deseret News Wednesday, July 7, 2010.

Patty Henetz, 2 more Utahns dodge prison in artifacts case Salt Lake Tribune, Wednesday, July 7, 2010.

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