Law

Native artist found guilty for filming in Yosemite

A Native artist was found guilty for filming inside Yosemite National Park in California.

Lorenzo Baca, who is Pueblo and Apache, faces a year in prison and $10,000 in fines for making a commercial film called "Yosemite Big Time." A federal judge said he made the film without a permit and entered a roundhouse in violation of park rules.

Baca denies doing anything wrong. He called the roundhouse -- which is defined as a "cultural resource" -- a "tourist attraction, that was built in 1973 by a white guy under the direction of another white guy," The Union Democrat reported.

This isn't Baca's first time in federal court. The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians successfully sued him for making and selling unauthorized audio and video recordings of a ceremony.

Get the Story:
Guilty verdict in Yosemite filming case (The Union Democrat 11/27)

$rl Yosemite National Park - http://www.nps.gov/yose

Related Stories:
California tribe might burn recordings of ceremonies (3/10)
Artist found liable for taping tribe's ceremony (03/04)