The theft of this petroglyph brought a six-month prison sentence.
Stolen petroglyph returns to canyon after rocky journey.
BY CARRI GEER THEVENOT
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
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Ken Cole
Ken Cole is a 5th generation Idahoan, an avid fly fisherman, wildlife enthusiast, and photographer. He is the interim Idaho Director for Western Watersheds Project. We do not accept unsolicited “guest” authors or advertising.
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At least this petroglyph is being returned to its home. There is a spot (probably more than one) in the Escalante area of Utah that has been worked over pretty good by petroglyph thieves.
The bad guys used battery powered circular saws and chisels to cut into the soft sandstone that has centuries old stories and art work of the ancients.
After removal, they no doubt were purchased illicitly by some wholesaler, who then put them in a high end art store where they were bought at high prices by well heeled urbanites from Chicago, LA or New York. Every transaction along the way a violation of federal and probably state law. Each and every one of these bastards should be in jail for alot longer than 6 months and fined tens of thousands of dollars.
WTF, 6 months and no fine. If we had a legal system that treated addiction as a disease, some form of gun control such that access to weapons would be slightly more difficult that getting a driver’s license, and a medical system that treated people’s pain as a symptom that can be controlled, maybe there would be enough room to hold this idiot in prison for longer than 6 months. (Likely to be reduced for good behavior or probation). Sorry had to rant. This item was not only sacred to indigenous Americans but is part of our nation’s indeed the world’s culture. Six month’s and no fine is NOT a deterrent.