Panda monopoly wasn’t enough, China expanding its zoo

More than $1 million in stolen dinosaur bones shipped to China, Justice officials say
Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY
Sat, October 21, 2023 at 8:54 PM CDT


Federal prosecutors had several bones to pick in a Salt Lake City courthouse this week.

On Thursday, a federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment against four people accused of selling more than $1 million in stolen dinosaur bones taken from public lands in southeastern Utah and shipping them to China, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah announced in a news release.

“By removing and processing these dinosaur bones to make consumer products for profit, tens of thousands of pounds of dinosaur bones have lost virtually all scientific value, leaving future generations unable to experience the science and wonder of these bones on federal land,” U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins said in a statement.

ADVERTISEMENT
The case involves about 150,000 pounds of paleontological resources officials say were illegally removed between March 2018 and "at least" March 2023. In addition, the four defendants are accused of causing more than $3 million in damage, including the losses commercial and scientific value of the bones and the cost of restoring and repairing them.

Utah residents Vint and Donna Wade are accused of buying the dinosaur bones removed, by two unnamed people, who excavated them from federal land, according to the indictment.

The Wades, who are 65 and 67, who owned a business called Wade’s Wood and Rocks, in Moab, resold the bones at gem and mineral shows, according to documents.

Early Jurassic period: Researchers find fossils of rare mammal relatives from 180 million years ago in Utah


Among the people who bought the Wades' items were Steven Willing, 67, of Los Angeles, and his son, Jordan Willing, 40, of Ashland, Oregon, investigators said. The Willings owned a company, JMW Sales, and are accused of illegally exporting dinosaur bones to China. The indictment says they mislabeled them and lowered their stated value to prevent federal agents from finding them.