Third person sentenced for defacing Nez Perce Tribe sacred site

Wednesday, June 20, 2012  

The last of three defendants was sentenced for defacing a site held sacred by the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho.

Jarad Bovencamp, 25, was sentenced to five months in prison, five months home detention, and 200 hours of community service for willful injury or depredation of property of the United States. He admitted that he used spray paint to vandalize the Red Elk Rock Shelter, which features pictographs dating back 2,500 years.

"The vandalism of these priceless artifacts caused thousands of dollars of damage,” U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson said in a press release. “While attempts will be made to restore the pictographs, they will never be the pristine emblem of tribal history that they were before these senseless acts.”

Two other men previously pleaded guilty for their role in defacing the site. Freddie Michael Bernal, 21, was sentenced to three years in prison and Tyler James Carlson, 23, was sentenced to four months.

The men left markings of their names and initials on the petroglyphs.

Get the Story:
Lewiston man sentenced for defacing tribal shelter, pictographs (AP 6/20)