Former Effigy Mounds Superintendent arraigned in Federal Court on embezzlement charges
by Jason Meyer
Former Effigy Mounds Superintendent Thomas Munson, 76, of Prairie du Chien, WI, appeared in Federal Court Wednesday, December 16 in Cedar Rapids, facing a misdemeanor embezzlement charge in conjunction with an incident that took place during his tenure as Superintendent of the National Park. Munson pleaded not guilty.
The charge was levied against Munson Tuesday, December 8, following a lengthly investigation that has been underway since 2011. He is accused of knowingly concealing ancient human remains belonging to the United States National Park Service in his garage from 1990 to 2012. Those ancient remains of nearly a dozen Native Americans, removed from the Effigy Mounds museum during Munson's superintendency, are believed to be 500 to 2,000 years old.
If convicted, Munson could face a maximum of one year in prison without parole or five years probation, a fine of up to $100,000, and a term of up to one year supervised release following any prison term.
First noticed missing in 1990, the investigation was restarted in 2011 by current Effigy Mounds Superintendent Jim Nepstad. Though having previously denied knowing their whereabouts, Munson returned a box containing various prehistoric bones and skeletal fragments to the site shortly after the investigation began. Additional boxes were discovered by investigators in Munson’s garage.
It is believed that all remains have now been recovered and are in the possession of the National Park Service, though through improper handling and storage over 22 years their condition has degraded.
During the December 16 arraignment hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Deegan said there is a signed plea agreement with Munson; and U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau also said, during a press conference, that a plea hearing would be scheduled for the earliest possible date. Details of the plea agreement, and Munson’s motive for removing the artifacts, have yet to be revealed.
Munson will again appear in court January 4, 2016.
