Artifacts dealer was paid $162,000

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — An artifacts dealer who cooperated in a federal investigation into looting of ancient Southwestern relics was paid more than $162,000 for his services.

Court records show a man described as "the source" entered into a contract for services with the FBI in December 2006. His last payment was last July.

The informant's cooperation with the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management helped secure criminal charges against 26 people in a multistate investigation of artifacts stolen from federal lands.

Defendant Robert Knowlton, of Mesa County, Colo., had sought details of the government's agreement with the informant. Knowlton has pleaded not guilty to charges that he sold three stolen artifacts to the informant in July 2008.