A former University of Illinois student pleaded guilty to vandalizing the "Beyond the Chief" exhibit at the Native American House for what he said was "an extraordinarily poor decision."

Mark Neperman, 22, admitted that he stole signs from the exhibit by artist Edgar Heap of Birds (Cheyenne-Arapaho) He was sentenced to a year of court supervision, a fine of $200 and 100 hours of public service.

The exhibit represents the 12 nations that are indigenous to Illinois. The signs have been the subject of repeated vandalism.

Get the Story:
Man gets supervision for Native American House theft (The Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette 7/30)
University grad. guilty in American Indian art theft (The Daily Illini 7/30)

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Native 'Beyond the Chief' exhibit vandalized again (5/7)