Affidavits released in pot-hunting case

SALT LAKE CITY, June 17 (UPI) -- Court documents released in Utah show details of an investigation into a group accused of hunting for American Indian artifacts on federal land.

The finds -- clay pots, beads and even skeletons from burial sites -- are valuable commodities. The pot-hunting also destroys archaeological sites.

A grand jury handed up indictments last week against more than 20 people. One defendant, Dr. James Redd of Blanding, Utah, killed himself last Thursday, the day after he appeared in federal court, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday.

A federal court ordered the unsealing Tuesday of 10 search-warrant affidavits. They describe an investigation that went on for more than two years in which an informant identified as "the Source" paid $336,000 for artifacts allegedly removed illegally from tribal lands and federal property.

One document describes Tad Kreth, 30, of Blanding dealing with his grandmother, who was worried about his illegal activity.

"Kreth said he told her that he had dealt with the Source for a while now and everything had been good, and she doesn't need to worry about him going to jail," an affidavit said.