BLM Law Enforcement Cases: Alaska investigation ends in historic conviction

In 2008, Bureau of Land Management Office of Law Enforcement and Security special agents initiated an investigation into the alleged unauthorized commercial use of BLM lands within the Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve. This investigation eventually resulted in the first successful criminal prosecution citing the Paleontological Resource Preservation Act of 2009.

BLM law enforcement identified two suspects involved in a conspiracy to steal archeological and paleontological resources as a part of an illegal outfitting and guiding operation. In addition to the paleontological and archeological crimes, agents also uncovered other crimes, which included American Recovery and Reinvestment Act fraud, State of Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend fraud and receipt and possession of child pornography.

In June 2013, one person was remanded to federal custody to begin serving a 60-month prison sentence as a result of his conviction for receiving child pornography that was found during the execution of a BLM search warrant. In addition to the prison sentence, the subject will also serve an additional 60 months of supervised release, repay the government $2,000 for costs associated with his trial, pay an additional $10,000 in criminal fines and pay a special assessment of $100.

In February 2012, the second suspect in this case was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine as a result of the subject’s two-count felony conviction for conspiracy to violate the Paleontological Resource Preservation Act and theft of government property. This is the single largest criminal fine ever imposed in a paleontological resource theft case.