A quartet of fossil dealers have been charged with buying $1 million worth of dinosaur bones stolen from public lands in Utah and illegally shipping them to China for a profit.
An indictment announced on Thursday by federal prosecutors in Utah hit the four defendants with 13 felony counts for allegedly dealing in 150,000 pounds of stolen paleontological resources, including dinosaur bones.
Two Utah resident were charged in the case: Vint Wade, 65, and Donna Wade, 67, who together own Wade's Wood and Rocks in Moab.
Oregon resident Jordan Willing, 40, who is the founder and CEO of educational supply company Blue Marble, was also charged alongside his father, 67-year-old Steven Willing, a Los Angeles resident and Blue Marble executive.
The indictment alleges that the quartet conspired to purchase dinosaur bones from two unnamed, unindicted co-conspirators, who illegally excavated and removed them from public lands.
A quartet of fossil dealers have been charged with buying $1 million worth of dinosaur bones stolen from public lands in Utah and illegally shipping them to China (evidence photo)
Evidence photos shared by prosecutors showed jewelry labeled 'gembones' that appeared to be made from cut and polished dinosaur bones, destroying their scientific value
The four defendants are represented by different attorneys at separate law firms, all of whom declined to offer immediate comment when reached by DailyMail.com on Thursday afternoon.
Prosecutors say that in addition to selling over $1 million in looted dinosaur bones, the defendants caused over $3 million in damage with the scheme, including the lost commercial and scientific value of the bones, and the cost of restoration and repair.
Evidence photos shared by prosecutors showed bone fragments as well as jewelry labeled 'gembones' that appeared to be made from cut and polished dinosaur bones.
'By removing and processing these dinosaur bones to make consumer products for profit, tens of thousands of pounds of dinosaur bones have lost virtually all scientific value, leaving future generations unable to experience the science and wonder of these bones on federal land,' said US Attorney Trina A. Higgins.
'The United States Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting paleontological resources throughout the State of Utah,' she added. 'We will hold accountable anyone who seeks to engage in similar criminal conduct.'
Investigators are seen with evidence recovered in the case. Prosecutors say that in addition to selling over $1 million in looted dinosaur bones, the defendants caused over $3 million in damage with the scheme
Bone fragments are seen after being seized as evidence. Prosecutors say the fossil dealers conspired to deal in 150,000 pounds of stolen dinosaur bones
Arches National Park in Moab, Utah is seen in a file photo. The area is rich in dinosaur bones but removing them from public lands is a federal offense
According to the indictment, the Wades purchased the dinosaur bones from unindicted co-conspirators who had removed from federal land, and stockpiled them for resale to national vendors at gem and mineral shows.
Those sales include $1 million worth of bones bought by the Willings, who used their company to export them to China, mislabeling them and deflating their value to avoid US export bans, according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges that 'all parties knew or should have known that these paleontological resources were excavated, removed, sold, purchased, exchanged, transported, and received from Federal lands.'
The Bureau of Land Management and FBI are investigating the case with assistance from the Grand County Sheriff and San Juan County Sheriff Offices.
'The Bureau of Land Management should be greatly commended in dismantling the illegal trade of paleontology artifacts here in our community,' said Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins.
All four defendants are charged with conspiracy against the United States, Paleontological Resources Preservation Act violation, theft of property of the United States, money laundering, and other charges.
The defendants were scheduled for their initial court appearance on Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City.
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