SALT LAKE CITY—Criticism is mounting over the arrests of nearly two dozen people last week who are accused of stealing or illegally trafficking in ancient artifacts from the Four Corners area.
U.S. Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett have sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for an investigation into the arrests, some of which involved federal agents with guns drawn. They called it an “extreme show of force.”
U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman has defended the June 10 arrests in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, saying they were carried out according to standard operating procedures.
Several of those indicted in the case were in federal court in Salt Lake City on Wednesday for a status hearing to make sure they have attorneys.
