A federal grand jury has charged a man who allegedly sold American Indian crafts to two St. George businesses under the guise of authentic American Indian-produced crafts.
Nader Z. Pourhassan, 37, a former Draper resident, is the first person to be charged with violating the Indian Arts and Craft Act, which makes it illegal to sell anything that falsely suggests being American Indian-produced, an American Indian product or the product of a particular American Indian tribe.According to the indictment, between February 1994 and March 1998 Pourhassan allegedly sold dream catchers to St. George businesses Western Woods and M&S Turquoise, passing them off as American Indian-produced. But prosecutors allege the dream catchers were actually made in West Valley City by people of Vietnamese descent.
U.S. Attorney Paul M. Warner said enforcement of the statute is important because of its implications for American Indian culture.
"This case reflects our efforts to protect our Native American heritage and the traditions handed down from generation to generation," Warner said in a statement. "At the same time, this case demonstrates our commitment to protecting the consuming public from unscrupulous dealers dealing in Native American arts and crafts."
U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said it is not illegal to produce goods resembling American Indian crafts, but they can't be passed off as authentic.
"These products are legitimate if sold for what they are," she said. "However, they should not be misrepresented as handmade by Native Americans, and consumers should not be charged the high prices that quality handcrafted items can command, unless the products are handmade."
If convicted, Pourhassan could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each of two counts.
E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com.