A Tucson man, Leo Reynoso, 46, has been federally charged for allegedly excavating and selling artifacts from the Gila River Indian Community without authorization.
Prosecutors say he removed items such as jewelry, tokens, buttons, and crucifixes from tribal archeological sites and sold some without a permit.
The artifacts’ archeological value and the cost to repair the damaged sites are each estimated at $29,000.
Reynoso was indicted under the Archeological Resources Protection Act, NBC 12 News has reported.
If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
