Artist who falsely claimed Native American heritage sentenced for violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act
5/17/2023
Last edited 5/19/2023
A 67-year-old Western Washington artist was sentenced today to 18 months of federal probation for violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA) by representing himself as a Native American artist, when he had no tribal enrollment or heritage, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jerry Chris Van Dyke aka Jerry Witten, of Seattle, pleaded guilty in March 2023.
