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Browning man admits stealing grizzly bear necklace, eagle feathers from museum on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

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Browning man admits stealing grizzly bear necklace, eagle feathers from museum on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Oct 04, 2022 | 5:14 pm ET
By Daily Montanan Staff
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Browning man admits stealing grizzly bear necklace, eagle feathers from museum on Blackfeet Indian Reservation
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Gavel in front of legal person writing. (Provided by Ekaterina Bolovtsova via Pexels.com for the Daily Montanan)

A Browning man faces a possible 10 years in prison and maximum $250,000 fine after pleading guilty to stealing a grizzly bear necklace, moccasins, eagle feathers and other culturally significant artifacts from the Museum of the Plains Indian on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, according to a news release Monday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Montana.

Preston Jay Spotted Eagle, 31, was released, rather than detained, pending further proceedings. He was not in custody at his plea change hearing, and Judge Brian Morris continued his release .

He faces five years to life of supervised release for theft of government property from the museum where he worked as an aide, the news release said.

“A pair of moccasins and 26 golden eagle feathers from a war bonnet also were taken,” the news release said. “The investigation further determined that Spotted Eagle removed artifacts, photographed them with his cell phone and tried on historic clothing item(s), some of which were very old and delicate. Spotted Eagle also rummaged through many sacred bundles.”

Morris will determine sentencing, set for Feb. 8, 2023.

In the news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, also said the following:

The government alleged in court documents that the thefts occurred between May and August 2021. The Indian Arts and Crafts Board, with the U.S. Department of the Interior, runs the museum.

In August 2021, the curator noticed that a bear claw necklace was missing from the displays. An investigation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified Spotted Eagle as the thief.

The government alleged that the first piece found to be missing was a grizzly bear necklace from one of the historic gallery displays. The curator assumed Spotted Eagle had removed it because she had given him an inventory assignment.

When asked about the necklace, Spotted Eagle told the curator he had no idea who took it or what happened to it. A review of security system video ultimately led to Spotted Eagle.

When confronted again about the necklace, Spotted Eagle said he thought he was the one who took it out of the display because the necklace had fallen. Spotted Eagle told the curator that nobody else needed to review the video and that he could guarantee the necklace was still in the museum.

That afternoon, Spotted Eagle said he found the necklace under some papers in a collection room. The next day, the curator asked Spotted Eagle to show her the necklace and she noticed that it was heavily damaged.

In addition, the government further alleged, the museum conducted an inventory to identify any other missing items. In addition to bear claws that were missing from the damaged necklace, four loose bear claws were taken from a collection room drawer.

An appraisal of the damage to the grizzly bear necklace resulted in a $1,200 loss of value. The market value of the moccasins and four claws together was $1,150 and the replacement value was $2,150. The eagle feathers do not have a fair market value because the trade is illegal, but the valuation of the missing eagle feathers could be $7,800, based on a forfeiture collateral schedule.

The damage to the war bonnet has not been calculated for the same reason as the eagle feathers. The government alleged that it was impossible to put a monetary amount on the items, which are unique and culturally significant to the Blackfeet Tribe.