Today's Date: March 29, 2024
Sypher Secures Strategic Partnership with FAIA to Fuel Growth   •   Parkland Corporation Announces the Results of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders   •   Amerex Group Unveils Red Carter Swimwear's Revitalized Collection   •   Anaergia Announces Delay in the Filing of Its Audited Financial Statements and Related Disclosures   •   Syngenta Group reports $32.2 billion sales and $4.6 billion EBITDA in 2023   •   Make-A-Wish and celebrity wish granters announce goal to recruit 1 million people to become "WishMakers"   •   YMCA of the USA Partners With Old Spice To Increase High School Graduation Among Boys And Young Men Of Color Through Mentorship   •   Re:wild and Colossal Biosciences team up to leverage revolutionary technology to save critically endangered species on the brink   •   Anaergia Announces Escrow Closing of Second Tranche of the Strategic Investment   •   Midea Group releases its first-ever ESG brand story with an unexpected VIP visit highlighting its commitment to sustainability.   •   National University Receives 2024 Military Friendly® Gold Designation   •   Equalpride Partners with TransLash Media for Trans Day of Visibility, Amplifying Voices of Black Trans Femmes in the Arts   •   Jamieson Wellness Publishes Inaugural Sustainability Impact Report   •   Charity Navigator Launches Women's Advocacy List for Women's History Month   •   Visit Visalia Recognizes Autism Awareness Month in April   •   Fosun Management on 2023 Annual Results: Focusing on Core Industries with Established Advantages   •   Naropa University Launches Pioneering Psychedelic Minor     •   Coachella Concerned That People Have Sex, Says AHF   •   e.l.f. Cosmetics Debuts TikTok Shop Super Brand Day   •   Chosgo K23: One of the Best Bluetooth Hearing Aids for Seniors
Bookmark and Share

IL Man Convicted Of Doing 'Devastating Harm’ To Native American Site

 

Illinois man convicted of doing ‘devastating harm’ to prehistoric Native American archeological site
Sentenced to 30 days imprisonment, 500 hours community service, five years probation, and $150,326 restitution in case involving more than 13,000 artifacts


A Union County man was sentenced Tuesday for knowingly removing thousands of historical artifacts from a Southern Illinois National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

Leslie Jones, (50), of Creal Springs, was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment, 500 hours community service, five  years of probation, and to pay $150,326.06 in restitution to Cypress Creek NWR, for excavating, collecting, and transporting illegally taken archaeological resources from a prehistoric Native American site on the southern Illinois refuge.  In his plea agreement, signed October 2009, Jones admitted selling the articles to interested collectors to supplement his income.  Jones case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of Illinois.

In January 2007, Jones was observed by Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) Refuge Officers digging and removing these artifacts from an archeological site on the Refuge.  The site, as it was later determined, minimally dates to the Middle to Late Archaic to Middle Woodland periods (6000 B.C. to 400 A.D.). It is suggested that, based on the artifacts found, Native Americans used this site for stone tool production, cooking and other domestic activities.

In late January of 2007, law enforcement officers and special agents from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office seized 13,232 artifacts from Jones’ residence during the execution of a federal search warrant. These artifacts included pottery, clay figurines, tools, and over 200 pieces of human skeletal material. Jones later admitted living off the artifacts he collected and sold. 

“The damage caused by Leslie Jones can’t be measured in simple dollars,” said Tim Santel, Resident Agent-in-Charge for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Indiana, Illinois, Missouri).   “These sites give us an unprecedented glimpse into the past.   He has done devastating harm to the site, as many of these artifacts are lost forever, denying the American public much in the way of understanding past human existence.”
Staff from the Shawnee National Forest and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale assessed the estimated value of the damage to the site at more than $150,000.    

“Archeological sites are similar to a museum,” said Mark Wagner, Staff Archaeologist, Center for Archaeological Investigations at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.   “We wouldn't tolerate someone going into a museum and removing an object because they felt like it. These items don’t belong to archeologists, they were stolen from the American public.”

According to Mary McCorvie, Forest Archaeologist at Shawnee National Forest, public awareness and interest plays a role in combating and preventing similar crimes.

“In Southern Illinois, we have a rich history of human occupation for 12-14 thousand years,” said McCorvie.  Taking these pieces destroys critical pieces of our historical puzzle.  It's important the public know how important and fragile these links to the past are, and the role they can play in combating this.     We've found that the public's interest in preservation is critical to reducing vandalism.   People are aware of a number of sites like this that contain significant cultural resources, and we'd love them to both refrain from taking found artifacts, and report suspected incidences of vandalism or theft.”

Under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), it is a felony to disturb, alter, remove, or damage archaeological sites and objects that are over 100 years old on Federal lands.  Archaeological sites and artifacts are-also protected by 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), which prohibits digging in, excavating, disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in any way damaging prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resources, structure, site, artifact, property; or removing said items.   Persons found guilty of offenses against ARPA could be punished by not more than two years in prison and not more than $250,000.00 for the first offense. 

Please enjoy these remnants of times gone by, and help preserve our history by leaving archaeological sites and artifacts undisturbed and reporting any looters or evidence of looting activity that you see to the ARPA hotline, at 1-800-227-7286. 

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, 
Protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visithttp://www.fws.gov.

-FWS-

 
 
 

Contacts

Tim Santel, 217-971-5100
Jason Holm, 612-713-5310



Back to top
| Back to home page
Video

White House Live Stream
LIVE VIDEO EVERY SATURDAY
alsharpton Rev. Al Sharpton
9 to 11 am EST
jjackson Rev. Jesse Jackson
10 to noon CST


Video

LIVE BROADCASTS
Sounds Make the News ®
WAOK-Urban
Atlanta - WAOK-Urban
KPFA-Progressive
Berkley / San Francisco - KPFA-Progressive
WVON-Urban
Chicago - WVON-Urban
KJLH - Urban
Los Angeles - KJLH - Urban
WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
New York - WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
WADO-Spanish
New York - WADO-Spanish
WBAI - Progressive
New York - WBAI - Progressive
WOL-Urban
Washington - WOL-Urban

Listen to United Natiosns News