NAFPS Forum

I have a friend who has had a couple of bad experiences with two men claiming to be Native American Spiritual leaders in St. Petersburg, FL.

Larry Figard and Lance Jamison owners of Red Eagle Native American Crafts verbally contracted my friend to start up a whole sale division for their store.

She spent months redesigning their web site, creating a catalog, setting up whole sale accounts, paying for all of these things herself including vending at the INATS East with the verbal agreement that she would be paid back and get commission for all of the accounts she set up. After they received confirmation of a ten thousand dollar account that she arranged, they called and told her she would receive no money from them with no reason given. Total of what she put into their business and personal loans is approx. $15,000.00. This was all the money she had.

My friend is an associate member of the Nanticoke Tribe in Delaware and had just moved to Florida with her husband. Six months after the move her husband died. She is on 100% disability. She has never claimed to be Native but has always been supportive and respectful.

Lance also known as Yaya told her he was a member of the Cherokee tribe and grew up on the reservation. She found out that was not true.

Lance told her he was a shaman and was trained by Asa Primeaux and Elmer Running  and numerous others. She found out this was not true.

He also said he was a pipe carrier and showed her 5 pipes he had. He said he had them blessed by the elders at a Sun Dance.

Lance/Yaya told her he was a Navy Seal. She found out this was not true and also found out he was escorted out of the arena at a Veterans Powwow because he was investigated and found to be lying about this.

She arranged for Lance and Larry to do some drumming at a Boy Scout event and she was informed by BSA that Lance (Yaya) was a convicted child molester. Not just one instance, and this was not his only criminal record- he was also arrested for assault and fraud.

These men are claiming to be Traditional's and to be on the rolls.

They sell what they are claiming to be Authentic Native American Crafts  but they buy the product from Crazy Crow, add some feathers or arrow heads and then sell it as Authentic.

Why did they tell her they wouldn't do business with her? Because she questioned them and pointed out some of what they were doing and saying wasn't meshing with who they were claiming to be.

They have been calling and harassing her and calling her B**** among other names a Traditional wouldn't call a woman. One day Yaya called 27 times and Larry 12.They wanted her to do more work for them and she refused until they paid her. She then sent them the bill. They sent her a bogus "Cease and Desist". She never called except once to say she sent the bill via internet.

She told them she wasn't Native Blood but they insisted on doing a genealogy, insisting she must be. It of course said she wasn't of Native blood, like she said. Now they are going into the community stating she is claiming Native blood. She has never done this, EVER.

These two are still going out into the community claiming to be spiritual leaders. They are duping many others into believing they are powerful medicine men or shaman. I believe that Yaya has been finding other non native women to take advantage of.


Here is a link to Lance/Yaya arrest record. Notice where it says race , it states"unknown" when there is a option for Native American.

http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1309429

[Al's note: retitled thread]

Something you can do:
read up on the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. If they are not from a federally recognized tribe, and they sell their stuff as "authentic Native American", than they are in violation of that act and are committing fraud. You can turn them into the feds.

How to report a violation to the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the Department of Interior. http://www.doi.gov/iacb/file.html

I'm very glad you were able to find the arrest record for Jamison. Charges like that are so serious it's always necessary to have proof when they're made.

This is his listing as a sex offender, which says he's "released" or has already done a sentence.
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=34339

Another site mentions two adjudications, indicating he's served two separate sentences, one in 1970 and another in 2003.
http://www.thispersonsucks.com/Sexual_Offender_LANCE_L_JAMISON_26330.html

He apparently did some demonstration dancing at a powwow.
http://www.orgsites.com/fl/navet/_pgg1.php3

It'd be a very good idea to pass along the information to the powwow circuit, since there would be so many children around.

What's also very disturbing is that his name shows up on this Harry Potter fan site, where it'd be extremely easy to find very young kids.
http://maxpages.com/enchantments
"Cocoa Jamison, Don Singleton and Yaya Jamison, Sam Combs, Cocoas_bf_4life and Sponge1 are the people competing for HOGWARTS IDOL."

Figard doesn't show up much other online than a divorce and an obituary for a family member (I believe his mother, Debbie St Saveur). The obituary mentions her as having originally come from Erie PA.

Jamison is a pretty common Seneca name. It surprises me to hear a Cherokee named that, since the two tribes were once traditional enemies.

Another thing you could do besides spreading the word to the local powwow circuit is report Jamison's impersonation of being a vet to the sites that list people making false claims about being vets.

See the thread http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1333.0

I am a peaceful person and I try to avoid conflict with others when I can.  However my name has been smeared on this website.  First of all, I'd like to counter all the lies and deception about Larry Figard (Red Eagle).  I am Larry Figard (Red Eagle) and I am here to defend my name,  my reputation, and my character.   OK where do I start?  First of all, I have never claimed to be a Native American Spiritual Leader.  This can be verified by many people that know me personally. (Friends, Family, Customers, etc,).  However, I AM a carded Native American and an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe from the Pine Ridge South Dakota Indian Reservation. 

Next, Lance Jamison (AKA Yaya), has NEVER been, nor is currently, part owner of the Red Eagle Native American Arts and Crafts Store in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Lance Jamison is someone that did come around to my store and lied and deceived me into believing he was Native American and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. ( He deceived many people by the way, not just me )  I found  out later that everything he said was all a lie, and I also I found out that Mr. Jamison is a sexual offender.  I might add that I found this out after the Boy Scout event that was supposed to take place.

Lance Jamison was then banned from my store, by myself, and by the landlord of the property.  Lance Jamison has not had any contact with me since this past summer, and I do not appreciate being associated with him.  He was also banned from stepping foot anywhere near my booth in the Wagon Wheel Flea Market.  Also, your friend, "Elizabeth Sturino??? failed to tell you or you failed to mention that she was the girlfriend of Lance Jamison for many months, and Lance even lived for a time with her at her home in Palm Harbor.  And that is how Elizabeth began coming to my store; through her boyfriend Lance Jamison.

Debbie St Saveur is the deceased mother of my son, Larry Jr. Figard!  Get your story straight.  My mother's name is Jennifer Eleanor Red Eagle.  1914-1997  Manderson, South Dakota.  ( She was an enrolled member of the Pine Ridge, South Dakota Indian Reservation, as I am. 

The "Cease and Desist" was NOT a bogus letter.  It was notarized.  Anyone can write one.  Read under "Cease and Desist??? letters below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cease_and_desist

Elizabeth says she spent months redesigning my website.  This is a lie.  She did change some things on my website such as pictures and layouts, but most of what she did, I did not approve of.  She and her daughter were compensated for the little bit of time they spent with the website.  Elizabeth is very pushy and she did many things  in my store (such as rearranging merchandise, repricing items higher, moving tables around, etc) like it was her own store. I never asked her to do a  thing for me.  She got in the way at my store more then anything else.  She would come to my store almost everyday with Lance and sometimes her daughter.  The only reason I did not tell her to leave is because I was too polite at the time. She also failed to mention that she had her herbs in my store on display for months.  (And they took up a good portion of the center of my store tables).  If anything, she owes me money for rent space! 

As far as INATS goes (the International New Age Trade Show) , I reluctantly agreed to go with her and the other con artist, Lance Jamison to try and promote my store and get contracts ( which never happened).  However, Elizabeth said that if no money was made or if no contracts were taken, then she would eat the cost.  ( that was her own words).  The contract that she mentions did not go through.  The prospective buyers were asking for too cheap of a price that I could afford to do.  She can confirm that with them if she wishes.

Everything said about Lance Jamison is true however.  Just as Lance took advantage of many others, he took advantage of me.  And I never ever claimed to be a Medicine Man.  But I am Indian, I am Lakota,  and I am proud of it.  I Larry Figard NEVER called her a bi**^.  That is a flat out lie! 

As far as Crazy Crow goes.  I am in the retail business, and I, as other retailers do, order material from many different wholesale dealers and distributors throughout the Untied States.  I rarely use Crazy Crow.  The overwhelming majority of everything I have in my store IS Authentic Hand Made by Native American Artist.  And I do abide by the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.

http://www.doi.gov/iacb/act.html

Also, in addition to myself, I carry Handmade Authentic Native American Arts and Crafts Work from a number of members of Federally Recognized Indian Tribes throughout the United States including enrolled tribal members from, the Pine Ridge Lakota Sioux Reservation, The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the Winnabago Tribe of Nebraska, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe amongst others.  Anyone in doubt is free to come to my store and see and examine our certificates of authenticity. 

http://redeagle.us/

I work hard at my store!  I work everyday of the year except a few holidays.   Five days a week at my regular store, and Saturday and Sunday at the Flea Market.   I don't think Elizabeth Sturino knows what hard work is!  She seems to try and stick her nose into a lot of business in the area and she acts as some kind of a middle person to make money.

Just to make one dream catcher from scratch is a project in itself.  ( As anyone knows who has made one by hand!    You have the rings, suede, sinew, beads, and feathers.  And it could take many hours to make just one large dream catcher by hand.  And YES, these like almost everything in my store are HANDMADE!.  What she said about ordering form Crazy Crow and throwing a few feathers on is a complete flat out lie!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation


The reason I DO NOT want to do business with her is because in my opinion, she is a CON ARTIST, and a  Street HUSTLER.  She wanted to be the Middle person when I was doing 100 percent of the work.  It is absurd to sell Handmade items at wholesale prices.  There is no money to be made like that.  Also, Elizabeth wanted me to sell her my Arts and Crafts work directly to her below the already low wholesale prices.  And that was Elizabeth's great plan to make everyone rich from it.  Elizabeth, while hanging around my store (uninvited) would just do things on her own without my consent, and never mentioned anything about money. 

I have no idea where she came up with the $15,000! I have a copy of an emil where she says I owe her $4,318.28.  Is she just pulling numbers out of the air?  Lance Jamison may owe her money, as he does me.  But like I said, Lance Jamison has absolutely nothing to do with me or my Red Eagle Store.  Elizabeth and her daughter did do a few things on the website.  However Elizabeth wanted to be the administrator of the website and handle the accounts on the site. I found some suspicious activity later and I suspected fraud.  After that, I banned her as administrator by calling up my webmaster and instructing him to change the password for the website.  Elizabeth refused to give me access to the Whole Sale Web Site.  That was a red flag right there considering that I AM the owner. 

The INATS show cost $1,500 and $114 a day for the three days for the hotel.  ( At one point while we were at our booth during the INATS show, Elizabeth disappeared without saying a word ,and was later seen doing physic readings while she was suppose to be helping us at the booth.  We made $784 in total, and that was divided between four people.  Myself, Lance Jamison, Elizabeth Sturino, and her daughter.  It came out to $196 each and that was paid to everyone.  I also gave Elizabeth a check for $2,000 which I have a receipt for with my bank records.  It might be added that there was no contract for any of what Elizabeth claims. 

About the genealogy thing.  That was Lance Jamison who insisted on that.  I guess he wanted to justify himself.  ( Who, like Elizabeth turned out to be Non-Native). Again, anyone that knows me knows that I do not go out into the community claiming to be a Spiritual Leader, Shaman or a Medicine Man.  I'm just an average person who is Native American and who owns a Native American store.

The name of this forum is 'New Age Frauds and Plastic Shaman???.  This fits Lance Jamison and Elizabeth Sturino well.  Lance is the Plastic Medicine Man, and Elizabeth Sturino is the New Age Fraud. 

She claims to be a Wiccan Elder.  Read here

http://esparanormal.info/elizabethbio.html

"Elizabeth is a Psychic, a Medium, a Mediator, and a Visionary. She was the first, and to date, the only Named Mother of a Traditional British Witchcraft Family in the Americas.??? She also claims to be a Psychic, Medium, paranormal investigator and a licenced reverend. 
In my opinion, Elizabeth Sturino is a TYPICAL NEW AGE FRAUD that thinks she knows something about Native Americans.  She knows NOTHING and is just a Con Artist. 
"She is an honorary participant of numerous Wiccan covens though out the United States. Elizabeth has been welcomed and trained in many different traditions and ceremonies with the Native American communities in both the United States and South America???  "Elizabeth is an herbalist, specializing in ceremonial herbs for many different paths. She can create incense, herbal mixtures, and oil blends for personal or group needs and workings.???

"Elizabeth has been evaluated in closed university studies for her psychic abilities in the areas of remote viewing and prediction. She was evaluated well above the margin for profound abilities.???

"Elizabeth is a licensed Reverend.???

"Though she is currently in the process of writing her own book, Elizabeth has been published both nationally and internationally for her different articles and essays???

It does not stop there.  Elizabeth also owns a women's sex shop in St. Petersburg, Florida. What honor is there in that? 

http://www.mypartyplanner.com/vendors/Pandora's_box_204805.html

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Pandoras.Box

727-327-7744

Elizabeth Sturino also does a number of workshops she charges money for.

http://siddharthasattic.com/workshops.html

Here, Elizabeth is exploiting our Native American Heritage.  She went with her boyfriend Lance Jamison looking for ghost at the site of an ancient Native American ( Tocobaga) Indian village. 
She states "We walked through the winding paths still with a great feeling of tranquility. As I got closer to the water though, I got another flash of a young Indian man looking out into the water. I couldn't see what he saw, but I could feel what he felt.??? 

http://esparanormal.info/sacredlands/elizabethreport.html

Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
http://siddharthasattic.com/meetings.html


Elizabeth may be an associate member of the Nanicoke Tribe based in Delaware.  But these membership cards are handed out to non-indians that may help the tribe in some way.   Maybe the tribe should be contacted about having Charlatans like Elizabeth Sturino representing them.   Elizabeth is flashing around and bragging about her Associate membership card with the Nanicoke Tribe..

http://www.nanticokeindians.org/contact.cfm

http://www.nanticokeindians.org/

Read these stories.  Another Wicann New Age Fraud that thinks she's knowledgeable of Native American ways.

http://siddharthasattic.com/essays.html

In my opinion, this women is a manipulator, a liar, a con artist, and a fraud.  And she is just another example of New Age Frauds that take advantage of the good will of Legitimate Native American people! 

Larry Figard

Thanks for giving your side of this. We always appreciate more information when trying to clear up cases like this.

I've retitled the thread to make it clearer who is being primarily discussed. People reading this thread will see your account and the friend of Sturino's and, I believe, come to the right conclusion.

If you saw our welcome message you'll notice that we apologize if we make errors. The error in this case was in not doing a check on Sturino's background and letting your name be included along with Jamison's, when he's clearly always been the one who did wrong in so many ways.

I hope this helps undo any possible damage done.

I'm sorry but alot of things that hav been said by Mr Figard are totally untrue about Ms Sturino!!!  I have been to her and her daughter's shop and they don't just have sex stuff (that's in a seperate room) but they also have art work by various artist, they have jewlery, new aged items such as herbs and other items for the metaphysical.  Ms Sturino is also licenced with the city to give readings(she carries the id card).  Also on the walls is various accomidations, certifications, letters of recomendations and she is considered a very active member of the Central Shopping district!!

Yes she proudly proclaims her association with the Nanacoke but she is quick to tell you that she is not native american! 



I would like to say that alot of the links provided by Mr Figard do not work so there for how can he prove what he is saying?  this is the beginnings of what is questioning my opinion with his intergraty!!

i would like to draw your attention for a minute to Mr Figard's comment about Ms Sturino being a Wiccan Elder--- if you read the article again that he has supplied,   http://esparanormal.info/elizabethbio.html
The line reads and i quote, "She was the first, and to date, the only Named Mother of a Traditional British Witchcraft Family in the Americas. She is now an Elder."  This is telling me that she is an Elder in British Witchcraft  which is totally different from Wicca. 

That is waht i get from that article-- do you estimed readers?

Also, I have known Mr johnson for several years as I worked with him on a few constructions sites.  the first time our pathes crossed he said he was Blackfoot, the second time our pathes crossed he said he was Lakota and the time after that which was just a few years ago, he said he was cherokee!  the last time i saw him, he was indeed with Ms Sturino but at my urging of getting away from him since i did know what a lier he was, she quit him a few days later.  about a week later I came across his name in the data base with the prision system where he was a petifiler!!

I have read the original posting to this line and i do know of alot of what her friend did state. 

As for what Mr Figard has stated about certificates of authenticity--- Sir you are a lier!!  i have been to the wagon wheel and i have asked you if you had any certificates for a few items!  such items that i asked about where a war bonnet and a few dream catchers.  you claimed one time that you made them and they where okayed by the Lakotas-- i asked to see the letter of permission and you told me that i didn't need to see it.   the next time after that - almost a year later-- i questioned the authenticity of the SAME war bonnet and you then said it was a replica!!!  Get your stories on your own wares straight before you try and nail some one to the wall!!!

I invite all those that read here to definatly go to mr figard's web site  and look at the war bonnets  then i also invite you to go to the site that he so mentioned www.crazycow.com and look at the war bonnet kits there!  They are identical!!!  Mr Figard claims that the war bonnets are of his makeing and are authentic---yeah sure the argument will be yeah he made them and yeah they are authentic but any one can buy the kit and put it together!!  i have 4 bonnets that i did this way-- does that make my bonnets authentic indian articles since i am married to a cherokee?  i think not!!!

Also in responce to the comment about the dream catchers--  i can have a 12 inch dream catcher of willow wood rings, laced, webbed and feathered with stones and bones in about 30 -45 minutes!!  i make dream catchers for a living but i do have the disclaimer on mine that they are NOT the real mccoy but a loving rendition of tradition. 

So, i now leave this all in the capable hands of the greater powers to deal with.

Thank you for allowing me to voice my own opinion on this subject matter.

I need to make a correction for a web link i had in my posting.  it is in relation to the suppler Mr Figard mentioned.  I incorrectly spelled the site

this is the correct site:  http://www.crazycrow.com/

I had not inserted the 'r'  and had spelled it as crazycow and not crow.

thank you

Thank you EducateIndian for clearing that up.  Wolfjumper41, the reason that some of the links do not work from my posting, is because the website "Siddhartha's Attic??? and or links to it, were disabled or deleted less then 48 hours after I made my post.  That tells me that Elizabeth, her daughter, or her webmaster deleted or disabled the site after reading my post.  If Elizabeth feels she is legitimate in whatever it is that she does and has nothing to hide, then why was this done? 

The website does however still show up on goggle.com.  Sometimes it takes a little while for goggle to catch up.  Everyone can try it themselves.  Click on the Goggle link below, and do a search for
"Siddhartha's Attic???

www.google.com

It should come up on the first page.

"Elizabeth Sturino, gifted psychic and medium, is making available her gifts to give workshops on herbal knowledge, pathworking, psychic development, ...???

Wolfjumper41, you say you worked with Mr. Johnson for several years.  I though his name was "Mr. Jamison????  The one and only thing I will agree on is that Mr. Jamison is a fraud and a bad person. 

What are you talking about "letters of permission????  I hand make the War Bonnets myself and I am Lakota.  Replica just means it is an accurate reproduction of something from the past. 

For example a Lakota War bonnet that I make styled from the 1800's would be a replica.  That does not mean that it's not authentic hand made by a Native American Artist.  Just that it's a replica of styles worn 150 years ago.  And yes I will say it again, they are authentic Native American made! 

Also, I do not use real eagle feathers because they are protected by federal law, I use imitation eagle feathers which I obtain with the rest of the material I use from a variety of sources.  I never use kits!
Being married to a Cherokee does not make your work Native American.  Having Native Blood makes you Indian.  And clearly your not.  The only lier and fraud is yourself Wolfjumper41.  If you would like to come to my booth at the Flea Market and see my certificates, then feel free to come down!   

She's also selling Holy Water for $5.99.  It seems like she does not respect any culture.
http://pandoracentral.com/magic.html

http://pandoracentral.com/magic.html



hmmmm....

http://www.indioproducts.com/webstore/index.php?cPath=564                                                                                                                I haven't seen that in a long, long time.  It's Santeria, but you use to see in in stores around the turn of the year.  If you don't have a culture you borrow from everbody.

Let me clear something up.  If one would read my posting a bit more clearer then one would see that i did state that i was not native american, only married to one.  if this makes me a fraud for presenting items that are "like indian crafts" then so be it!  I only make these items with the loving attention and respect that the original artisants deserve! 

as for Ms Sturino's stock involving a variaty of things-- why not cater to everyone and not just one grouping of people?  why be stuck in one avenue instead of many?  why not be there for all?  so what if there are items for various forms of religion?  big fat hair deal!  That is not borrowing from another cultrue, but catering to it and having things needed by one and all.  think about it.  if you are of one religion/culture and say your other half is of another, would it be nice for both of you to be able to walk in to one place together to get what you need or like?  with today's gas prices yet going up again, it makes it easier for folks.  think about it.

and yes I spelled Lance's last name wrong in my previous posting but the point was made!

i don't need to go to the wagon wheel or your store just to see certificates as now adays anyone can compose them on a computer so that wouldn't mean a thing to me.

as for your liniage to the Lakota, expalin why neither you nor your mother are even listed as tribal members past nor present?  yes i made a few phone calls.  nobody can find anything under either name.  interesting isn't it? 

shall we keep going or shall we just end this now and let these nice folks go on? 


Now enough of this blaming game.  you and Ms Sturino are both wrong and then again you are both right-- leave it at that since everyone here and in this world are all human and it is our nature to make mistakes.  take those Mistakes and learn from them and correct the damage done by the mistakes.

This thread all comes down to Lance Jamison I believe....the rest is just kind of personal baggage between a few people.  Ya gotta admit though wolfjumper....the "Indian House Blessing Floor and Bath Wash with Triple Fast Action" is a little twinkie.  Sturino's image is a little tarnished in my mind seeing that...but I don't know her...I'm just imagining what goes through someone's head when they promote a product like that.  She must have an interesting client base.

Quote from: Superdog on January 13, 2009, 02:04:55 PM
...I'm just imagining what goes through someone's head when they promote a product like that.  She must have an interesting client base.

Not meaning to be disrespectful - but that bottle looks like a product you put down the john when the pipes are blocked by nasty substances.....