Las Vegas Man Indicted For Fraudulently Selling Goods As Native American-Made

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For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada

Wednesday, July 9, 2025 

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident made his initial appearance in court on Tuesday for allegedly misrepresenting and selling fake goods as authentic Native American-made products in violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jose Skywolf Martinez, 61, with one count of violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah scheduled a jury trial to begin on September 8, 2025.

According to allegations contained in the indictment and statements made in court, beginning on or about December 7, 2023, and continuing to about December 10, 2024, Martinez offered or displayed for sale, goods that he falsely suggested were Indian produced by an Indian or Indian tribe.

United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada; Douglas Ault, Assistant Director, Office of Law Enforcement, United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and Meridith Stanton, Director, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, United States Department of Interior made the announcement.

“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), a truth-in-marketing law,” said IACB Director Stanton. “The IACA is intended to rid the Indian arts and crafts marketplace of fakes and counterfeits to protect the economic livelihoods and cultural heritage of Indian artists, as well as to protect consumers. Authentic Indian art and craftwork is an important tool for passing down cultural traditions and artistic skills from one generation to the next. Counterfeit Indian art sold by Mr. Martinez undercuts Indian economies, culture, and traditions. The indictment of Mr. Martinez should send a strong message to those engaged in the sale of counterfeit Indian art that they will be found and held accountable.”

The Indian Arts and Crafts Act prohibits the offer or display for sale, or the sale of any good in a manner that falsely suggests that it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian and Indian tribe. The law is designed to prevent products from being marketed as “Indian made,” when the products are not, in fact, made by Indians. It covers all Indian and Indian-style traditional and contemporary arts and crafts produced after 1935, and broadly applies to the marketing of arts and crafts by any person in the United States. The IACA provides critical economic benefits for Native American cultural development by recognizing that forgery and fraudulent arts and crafts diminish the livelihood of Native American artists and craftspeople by lowering both market prices and standards.  

If convicted, Martinez faces a maximum statutory penalty of not more than five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Assistant United States Attorney Skyler Pearson is prosecuting this case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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