Dry Prong Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Archaeological Site in Kisatchie Forest

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Dry Prong man pleaded guilty Monday to illegally excavating a protected archaeological site in the Kisatchie National Forest.

Robert Edgar Miles Jr., 44, of Dry Prong, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge James D. Kirk to one count of unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, and alteration of archaeological resources. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, U.S. Forest Service officers and archaeologists found a protected archaeological site, which was used as a campsite by native peoples from 2000 B.C. to 700 A.D., in the Kisatchie National Forest that had been heavily excavated leaving deep holes throughout the site. During the one-year investigation, officers captured images of Miles digging at the site in 2013 and later recovered multiple artifacts from the defendant.

Miles faces one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing was set for March 5, 2015.

The U.S. Forest Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.