Jonathan Cornelius Bourne, Archeological Resource Theft, California 2015

Fresno, California – In a shocking case of cultural theft, 59-year-old Jonathan Cornelius Bourne, a doctor from Mammoth Lakes, California, has been arraigned on 21 counts of violating the Archeological Resources Protection Act.

According to court documents, Bourne allegedly transported archeological resources from Nevada into California in 2010 and 2011, including obsidian biface tools, Steatite pendants, and glass beads, which were found on public lands and were over 100 years old.

The indictment also charges Bourne with unauthorized excavation and removal damage or defacement of archaeological resources in Death Valley National Park, Inyo National Forest, and Sierra National Forest. The Native American cultural artifacts taken in 2010, 2011, and 2014, such as dart points, stone tablets, and a juniper bow stave, were also over 100 years old.

Bourne willfully injured property of the United States by excavating, removing damaging and defacing cultural artifacts on land administered by the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service in the Counties of Mono, Inyo, and Fresno.

The case is the product of an investigation by the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Bourne faces a maximum statutory penalty of 98 years in prison and a $2,030,000 fine. However, any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Bourne pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on his own recognizance. His next court hearing is a status conference before United States Magistrate Judge Sheila Oberto on December 7, 2015.

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