Jury finds shopkeeper not guilty in Native art fraud case

Rosemary V. Libert, 56, and a seasonal employee were among five charged after a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigation into possible violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, the Juneau Empire reported .

Defense attorney Michael Satin argued that audio recorded inside the Lynch & Kennedy Dry Goods store did not prove Libert falsely represented art as Alaska Native-made.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt said Libert never considered clearly stating the origin of the work.

Online court records show a case against a Ketchikan business owner heading for a possible plea deal as well.