Charges Against Archeologist Dismissed

DAYTON – Charges have been dismissed against the last of three archeologists charged with theft and destruction of prehistoric artifacts from the Umatilla National Forest and Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness in 2013. Charges were dismissed against Richard Lee Lyman in a plea agreement filed in Columbia County Superior Court on Dec. 2.

Lyman, 64, is a professor and chair of the department of anthropology at the University of Missouri. On July 22 he was charged with second-degree theft and second-degree malicious mischief, and making false statements to a public servant, based on a United States Forest Service investigation.

Those charges will be dismissed without prejudice if Lyman drafts and sends a letter of apology to the Nez Perce Tribal Council and the U.S. Forest Service. He is also required to conduct no archeological work on U.S. federal land for 365 days.

Lyman was originally charged with violating the Archeological Resource Protection Act by removing and transporting artifacts from lands recognized as Nez Perce tribal-ceded lands. Lyman’s associates, Matthew T. Boulanger and Dave N. Schmitt, were charged with second-degree theft and second-degree malicious mischief relating to the same incident.

The archeologists all entered not guilty pleas and requested dismissals, stating they obtained required permits and permissions from the state and performed surface reconnaissance in accordance in accordance with “Fulgham 1989,” the Umatilla National Forest cultural Resources Inventory Plan.

The charges against Schmitt and Boulanger were dismissed without prejudice on Sept. 16.