Effigy Mounds plea agreement
Former Effigy
Mounds official enters
into plea agreement
By Ted Pennekamp
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Duax said Dec. 30 that a plea agreement has been reached for a retired National Park Service official involving the theft of Native American remains from a museum at Effigy Mounds National Monument in northeast Iowa.
Thomas Munson, 76, of Prairie du Chien, is expected to plead guilty to one count of embezzlement of government property on Jan. 4 in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
As per the agreement, former Effigy Mounds Superintendent Munson will serve one year of home detention and publicly apologize for stealing the remains. Munson also agreed to pay $108,000 in restitution for the government’s cost of restoring the artifacts. In addition, Munson will complete 100 hours of community service and be placed on probation for one year. Munson also agreed to confinement for 10 consecutive weekends. U.S. Magistrate Jon Scoles will have the final determination regarding Munson’s sentence.
As part of the plea agreement, Munson admitted that he took two boxes of human remains in July of 1990 from a collection at Effigy Mounds. The remains are believed to be between 500 and 2,500 years old. The remains were originally found in the 1950s. Munson kept the remains in his garage for 22 years.
The investigation was ongoing since 2011 after Munson returned a box of bones to Effigy Mounds. Fragments of skeletons, including teeth, jaws and leg bones were in the box. Another box of remains was later recovered from Munson’s garage.
Munson retired in 1994 after 23 years as superintendent.
State Archaeologist John Doershuk said the remains were not stored properly and have deteriorated as a result. The plea agreement states in part, “Several of the human bones were broken or fragmented beyond recognition.”
As part of his plea agreement, Munson is to submit a written public acknowledgment of guilt and an apology to 12 tribes who can trace their ancestors to Effigy Mounds National Monument. He must also produce a video and audio recording of himself reading the written statement.
When the Munson case is concluded a consultation process will begin involving several federal and state agencies and the Native American tribes affiliated with Effigy Mounds National Monument to determine where the remains will end up.
