Date: 11-12-2024

Case Style:

United States of America v. Travis Lee Macasaet; Simeon Cabansag; Jessie Reginio

Case Number:

Judge:

Court: The United States District Court for the District of Alaska

Plaintiff's Attorney: The States United Attorney’s Office for Anchorage

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Anchorage, AK criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with scheme to sell hundreds of Philippine produced products as authentic Alaska Native produced artwork
Three men sentenced in local Indian Arts and Crafts Act case

Three men were sentenced today for their roles in a scheme to sell hundreds of Philippine produced products as authentic Alaska Native produced artwork, violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

According to court documents, between May 2019 and December 2021, Travis Lee Macasaet, 39, of Ketchikan, Simeon Cabansag, 39, of Ketchikan, and Jessie Reginio, 28, of Seattle, Washington, were employees of both Alaska Stone Arts LLC. and Rail Creek LLC., two stores located in Ketchikan, for differing periods of time. Alaska Stone Arts LLC. primarily sold stone carvings, and Rail Creek LLC. primarily sold wood totem poles.

Court documents explain that from April 2016 to December 2021, Cristobal Rodrigo, 59, his wife Glenda Rodrigo, 46, and their son Christian Rodrigo, 24, were the owners and operators of the stores and were co-conspirators in the case. The investigation revealed that the carvings and totem poles sold in both stores were sourced from Rodrigo Creative Crafts, a company owned by Glenda Rodrigo and located in the Philippines. The company used Filipino labor to produce the artwork before shipping them to the Rodrigo’s stores in Alaska, where they were sold as authentic Alaska Native art.

According to court documents, the Rodrigo’s hired Alaska Natives and non-Alaska Native employees at both Ketchikan stores to help with day-to-day operations and represent and sell Philippine produced artwork as their own authentic Alaska Native artwork. Macasaet and Cabansag were two of the Alaska Natives hired by the Rodrigo family. Reginio was one of the non-Alaska Native employees hired by the family.

“The defendants’ actions represent a profound betrayal of the Alaska Native artisans who take immense pride in preserving and practicing their craft,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Their fraudulent conduct not only jeopardizes the livelihoods of genuine artists, but also disrespects the rich cultural heritage to which two of the defendants belong. These sentencings represent a critical step toward securing justice for tribal communities and the innocent victims who were deceived in this case through forgery and misrepresentation. Our office remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the integrity of Indian Arts and Crafts laws through prosecutions, safeguarding both Alaska Native culture and the integrity of art for all consumers.”

“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, a truth-in-marketing law,” said IACB Director Meridith Stanton. “The Act is intended to rid the Alaska Native and Indian arts marketplace of counterfeits to protect the cultural heritage and economic likelihoods of Alaska Native and Indian artists and their Tribes and Villages, as well as the buying public. Authentic Alaska Native art, such as totem poles which hold profound significance among the Tlingit and Haida, is an important tool for passing down cultural traditions, artistic skills, and traditional knowledge from one generation to the next. Travis Macasaet, a member of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes, was a key participant in the Rodrigo family’s wide-ranging conspiracy to sell Philippine made totem poles and stone carvings as Alaska Native made. As an Alaska Native, he had the credibility to vouch for the carvings’ authenticity with customers. Indeed, Macasaet went so far as to sign the totem poles and take pictures with the carvings as the purported artist, falsely asserting that he had made them. Simeon Cabansag, an Alaska Native who also worked at one of the Rodrigo’s stores, similarly sold imported stone carvings as made by himself and other Alaskan Natives. Counterfeits, such as those marketed for huge sums of money by Macasaet, Cabansag, and Jessie Regino acting on the behest of the Rodrigos, tear at the very fabric of Alaska Native culture, livelihoods, and communities.”

“Travis Macasaet, Simeon Cabansag, and Jessie Reginio were employed by the Rodrigos and collaborated with them to misrepresent Philippine made stone carvings and totem poles as Alaska Native made,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Cabansag used his tribal affiliation and falsely told the public he was the artist of the imported stone carvings. Macasaet used his tribal affiliation and falsely told the public that he was the artist of the wooden totem poles. These deceptive business practices cheated customers and undermined the economic livelihood of Alaska Native artists. Our special agents investigate crimes in violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Protecting Alaska Native culture and traditions is a critical part of the act. We thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice, the IACB, CBP, and the U.S. Forest Service for their assistance with this investigation.”

Co-conspirators in this case include:

Cristobal Rodrigo was sentenced to two years in prison in August 2023 for his role in the scheme. His sentence was reduced to 18 months in June 2024, but remains the longest sentence a defendant has received for any Indian Arts and Crafts Act violation in the U.S., according to the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.
Glenda Rodrigo was sentenced to up to six months’ home confinement and 240 hours of community service on July 8, 2024.
Christian Rodrigo was sentenced to up to three months’ home confinement and 200 hours of community service on July 8, 2024.
Cameron Losi, fka “Cameron Lawrence,” 39, was charged with 29 federal counts in February 2024.
The Department of Interior – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Office of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Customs and Border Protections, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.

If you suspect potential Indian Arts and Crafts Act violations are being committed, a complaint may be submitted through the Indian Arts and Crafts Board’s online complaint form, www.doi.gov/iacb/should-i-report-potential-violation, by emailing iacb@ios.doi.gov, or by calling 888-278-3253.

Outcome:

Defendants were found guilty and

Macasaet was sentenced to five years’ of probation and 250 hours of community service.

Cabansag was sentenced to three years’ supervised release and time served.

Reginio was sentenced to three years’ probation release and a $5,000 fine.

All defendants are required to joint and several payment of restitution to the victims in this case and are required to write apology letters to the victims and the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes to be published publicly.

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