Salazar defends investigation, arrests in artifact theft raid that senators called overkill

October 9th, 2009 US sues to return stolen Egyptian artifactMIAMI — The U.S. is taking legal steps to return a stolen 3,000-year-old sarcophagus to Egypt.

September 16th, 2009 New indictment issued in Miss. immigration raidJACKSON, Miss.

August 14th, 2009 Arizona sheriff raids firm seeking illegal workersPHOENIX — An Arizona sheriff who has aggressively cracked down on illegal immigration sent deputies into a Phoenix paper plant where they arrested 44 employees suspected of identity theft or immigration violations. Sheriff Joe Arpaio says Thursday's raid on the Royal Paper Converting Co.

August 5th, 2009 Feds say artifact looting case likely to growSALT LAKE CITY — Federal authorities in charge of the nation's biggest bust of artifact looting and grave-robbing are targeting more suspects in the lucrative black market of ancient Southwest relics. Twenty-five people have already been charged and truckloads of artifacts seized after a long-running sting operation involving objects taken from federal and tribal lands in the Four Corners region.

July 6th, 2009 Mother, daughter plead guilty in artifacts caseSALT LAKE CITY — A mother and daughter pleaded guilty Monday to several felony charges stemming from a sweeping federal investigation into the theft and illegal trafficking of American Indian artifacts. Jeanne (JEAN'-nee) Redd, 59, pleaded guilty to seven federal counts of theft of government property, theft of tribal property and trafficking in stolen artifacts.

July 1st, 2009 10 arrested in oil, gas thefts at Texas companiesODESSA, Texas — Ten people have been arrested in the theft of about $2 million worth of oil and gas condensate from oil companies and producers in West Texas. The arrests Tuesday came following a seven-month investigation by a regional oil theft task force.

June 30th, 2009 2 officials want Texas gay bar raid investigatedFORT WORTH, Texas — Two Fort Worth City Council members are calling for an investigation into a police raid at a gay bar. Council members Joel Burns and Kathleen Hicks are requesting the probe into Sunday's raid at the Rainbow Lounge, where about a half dozen people were arrested.

June 20th, 2009 FBI: 2nd defendant in artifacts case found deadSALT LAKE CITY — A second defendant indicted following an investigation into the theft and illegal trafficking of American Indian artifacts from the Four Corners area has been found dead in an apparent suicide, the FBI said Friday. Steven L. Shrader, 56, of Santa Fe, N.M., was found dead in Shabbona, Ill., on Friday, the same day he was scheduled to appear in federal court in Salt Lake City.

June 18th, 2009 Feds face criticism over arrests in artifacts caseSALT LAKE CITY — The sun was barely up when federal agents began surrounding a dozen homes scattered across rural southern Utah, the final stroke of a two-year undercover investigation into the theft and trafficking of ancient Indian artifacts around the Four Corners area. At most places, six or seven armed officers moved in, rousting the occupants and securing the homes so that government archaeologists and photographers could enter and begin cataloguing evidence.

June 17th, 2009 Holder defends arrests in artifact theft raidSALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday defended federal agents involved in the arrests of nearly two dozen people accused of stealing or illegally trafficking in ancient artifacts from the Four Corners area.

June 14th, 2009 Utah senators call artifact theft raid overkillLAYTON, Utah — Utah's U.S. senators say they want Congress to investigate the actions of federal agents who arrested two dozen people in an investigation of the theft of ancient artifacts in the Four Corners region Sens.

June 12th, 2009 Man indicted in artifact theft probe found deadBLANDING, Utah — Authorities say a Utah physician indicted in a federal investigation into the theft of ancient artifacts in the Four Corners region has been found dead in an apparent suicide. San Juan County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Grayson Redd says James Redd was found Thursday afternoon by his local church leader near a dried-up pond on his property.

June 10th, 2009 24 indicted in Four Corners artifact theft probeSALT LAKE CITY — Two dozen people were indicted Wednesday after a sweeping undercover investigation into ancient artifacts stolen from public and tribal lands in the Four Corners area. Federal indictments unsealed Wednesday accuse the people of stealing, receiving or trying to sell American Indian artifacts including bowls, stone pipes, sandals, arrowheads, jars, pendants and necklaces.

June 10th, 2009 Arrests made in artifact thefts near Four CornersSALT LAKE CITY — Federal officials say two dozen people have been arrested in connection with the theft of ancient artifacts taken from public and tribal lands in the Four Corners area. Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S.

April 26th, 2009 3 charged in theft from benefit for sick NJ boyBUENA, N.J. — Three people face charges in the theft of an NBA player's autographed photo that was being auctioned to benefit a New Jersey boy sick with a rare blood disorder.