A Washington man has been convicted in U.S. District Court in Yakima, Washington, for illegally removing Native American artifacts from the Hanford Reach National Monument.
Theodore Albert Jensen Jr., 53, pleaded guilty Oct. 17, 2001, to violating the Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA), which prohibits unauthorized removal or destruction of archaeological material from sites on public or Indian land. Jensen admitted he violated ARPA by illegally digging and collecting Native American artifacts on public land administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jensen was fined $1,491.77 to cover the damage assessment in the case. Under ARPA, damages of $500 or more constitute a felony offense but Jensen pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney
