Helen F. Fahey, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Robert
Stanton, Director, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and Michael 0. Hill,
Superintendent, Petersburg National Battlefield, announce the sentencing of two individuals
who previously pled guilty to violations of the Archeological Resources Protection Act.
Jeffrey S. Blevins, age 33, a resident of Petersburg, VA, was sentenced today by the
Honorable U.S. District Judge Richard L. Williams to 5 months incarceration, 150 days home
detention with electronic monitoring, and restitution in the amount of $25,467.08. John N.
Walker, age 33 , a resident of Colonial Heights, VA, was sentenced today to 4 months
incarceration, 120 days home detention with electronic monitoring, and restitution in the
amount of $25,467.08.
The Petersburg National Battlefield commemorates those who fought and died during
the Siege of Petersburg, a pivotal chapter in the Civil War. The most historic portion of
Petersburg National Battlefield includes the area containing Union Fort Morton, Batteries 13
and 14, and the Taylor House. These resources, along with the Crater, and the Confederate
Picket Line opposing the Union lines,
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form the interpretive center of the park and contain the parks most important Civil War archeological
resources.
Petersburg National Battlefield received $110,000.00 in the Fiscal Year 1997 to begin an
Archeological Overview and Assessment of the Battlefield. The area of Fort Morton and the Taylor
House were to be the focus of the first year of the project. Due to the illegal excavation by these
defendant, the study has been compromised.
Beginning in December of 1995 and continuing until April 1997, Blevins and Walker
illegally entered Petersburg National Battlefield Park at night and, using metal detectors and
entrenching tools, dug over 240 holes and excavated over a thousand civil war artifacts from the site
of Fort Morton. Artifacts such as belt buckles, canteens, harmonicas, buttons, bullets, cartridge cases,
knapsack hooks all from the Civil War - were illegally removed from the National Battlefield.
This case is the largest theft of civil war artifacts since Congress passed the
Archeological Resource Protection Act in 1979.
The total lost to the National Park Service for the repair and restoration
costs combined with the archeological value is $50,934.16.
The case is being handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sara
E. Flannery, U.S. Attorney s Office, Richmond Division.
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