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A contrite Durango, Colo.-based artifacts dealer and collector, who was swept up in a federal sting against traffickers of illegal Four Corners antiquities, was sentenced Thursday in Salt Lake City's federal court to 12 months' probation.
Carl "Vern" Crites pleaded guilty in March to three felonies associated with violating public lands. He admitted to buying a pair of basket-maker sandals worth more than $1,000 from an undercover source in August 2008 and excavating on federal lands in San Juan County in September 2008, disturbing human remains and unearthing a knife worth more than $500. The two counts of theft and damage of government property carried maximum penalties of 10 years in prison, while trafficking in stolen goods carried a maximum two years.
Judge Dee Benson acknowledged the case has had "catastrophic effects" on Crites, who is 76, now homeless, enduring a divorce and recovering from a recent heart attack.
"You seem to be a very hard-working, patriotic American in many, many respects," Benson said. "There's no question you've lost decades' worth of collecting materials. I'm not going to impose any jail time."
Barely two weeks ago, Benson sentenced eco-activist Tim DeChristopher to two years in prison in another public-lands case. The judge said then that the defendant's crime — placing bogus bids on federal oil and gas leases — "wasn't that bad," but pinned the punishment on DeChristopher's public defiance.
As part of Crites' guilty plea, the government seized thousands of items from Crites' collection that dates back to 1960. Benson granted 90 days for federal officials to sort out 80 artifacts whose legal status remains under dispute.
His wife, Marie Crites, who pleaded guilty to one count involving the purchase of ancient sandals, was sentenced to 30 days' probation.
"You both seem like nice people," Benson added. "Neither one of you came in here trying to deny guilt. You should be proud of that. You can get over this, I hope."
Both defendants apologized to the American Indian community, while Marie Crites stressed she has spent the past 20 years restoring artifacts that "I revere."
Walter Bugden, Vern Crites' attorney, explained his client has legally collected items for half a century from private ranches and farms. "It was like hunting treasure. He really became an expert. This behavior [of plundering from public lands] is an aberration."
Bugden said Crites intended to retire on the value of the now-seized collection, but instead must survive on a $700-per-month Social Security check. "He's lost his collection. He's lost his marriage. It's not too much to say he's lost his health."
The former couple arrived at the courthouse in a Ryder truck en route to Portland, Ore., where Marie Crites plans to live with her son.
When Benson learned up to 5,000 items had been seized, he grilled the prosecutor.
"Surely the United States attorney hasn't made a bad case worse by stealing from the defendant," he asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard McKelvie. "That would be awful."
"We dispute that all these items were taken from private sources," McKelvie responded. "It's not our intention to remove from the defendant items he obtained legally."
Federal agents piled five truckloads of antiquities from the Crites home and the plea agreement made that forfeiture official.
Vern Crites, wearing Levis and white, wispy hair, said he is unsure about his future.
"This has been extremely stressful."
Who has been sentenced so far
Probation • Jeanne Redd, of Blanding
Probation • Jericca Redd, of Blanding
Probation • Dale Lyman, of Blanding
Probation • Brent Bullock, of Moab
Probation • Tammy Shumway, of Moab
Probation • Nicholas Laws, of Blanding
Probation • Robert Knowlton, of Grand Junction, Colo.
Probation • Ray Lyman, of Blanding
Probation • Aubry Patterson, of Blanding
Probation • Brandon Laws, of Blanding
Probation • Richard Bourret, of Durango, Colo.
Probation • Joseph M. Smith, of Blanding
Probation • Reece Laws, of Blanding
Probation • Carl "Vern" Crites, of Durango, Colo.
Probation • Marie Crites, of Durango, Colo.