A second man has been charged in reference to the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz,” in response to the authorities, who mentioned that he had threatened to a launch a intercourse tape of a lady if she advised the authorities concerning the theft.
The person, Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Hennepin County, Minn., was charged on Friday with one depend of theft of main paintings and one depend of witness tampering, in response to courtroom data that had been launched on Sunday. He didn’t enter a plea when he appeared within the U.S. District Courtroom in St. Paul on Friday.
The famed red-sequined pumps, one in all a number of pairs that Garland wore in filming “The Wizard of Oz,” had been stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn., in 2005. The whereabouts of the slippers was a thriller for years till 2018, when the F.B.I. introduced that they’d been recovered.
In accordance with the indictment, between August 2005 and July 2018, Mr. Saliterman “acquired, hid, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage,” referring to the ruby slippers, which the indictment says he knew had been stolen. Final yr, Mr. Saliterman tried to intimidate an unidentified lady by threatening to disclose a intercourse tape of her to her household if “she didn’t hold her mouth shut” and spoke with the F.B.I. concerning the theft, the indictment mentioned.
Mr. Saliterman was launched on Friday on his personal recognizance, in response to courtroom paperwork. He was photographed leaving the courthouse in a wheelchair, carrying a transportable respiratory machine. His subsequent courtroom look had not been scheduled as of Monday afternoon.
It was unclear whether or not some other arrests in reference to the theft had been anticipated.
John Brink, a lawyer for Mr. Saliterman, mentioned on Monday that Mr. Saliterman deliberate to plead not responsible when he’s arraigned.
“He’s executed nothing unsuitable,” Mr. Brink mentioned.
Prosecutors declined to remark concerning the case whereas it’s pending.
The primary man charged within the case, Terry Martin, 76, of Minnesota, pleaded responsible in October 2023 to 1 depend of theft of main paintings. He was spared time in jail and was as a substitute sentenced in January to 1 yr of supervised launch. Mr. Martin was additionally ordered to pay $23,500 in restitution to the Judy Garland Museum.
Federal prosecutors and Mr. Martin’s legal professionals had agreed that he shouldn’t face time in jail as a result of he had power obstructive pulmonary illness, requires oxygen and is in hospice care. Prosecutors mentioned in January that Mr. Martin was not anticipated to dwell past the subsequent six months.
Dane DeKrey, a lawyer for Mr. Martin, wrote in courtroom paperwork that Mr. Martin had “no concept” that the ruby slippers had been such well-known cultural objects in American movie and that he believed the footwear had been made with “actual rubies” that he may peel off and promote on the black market. Mr. Martin mentioned that his plan had been foiled when he realized the gems had been manufactured from glass.
Mr. Martin had earlier expertise with stolen jewels, and he had hung out in jail for housebreaking, in response to Mr. DeKrey. In 2005, Mr. Martin had been out of jail for 10 years when he was contacted by an “outdated mob affiliate” about “a job,” Mr. DeKrey wrote in courtroom paperwork.
It was unclear whether or not the authorities had been contending that Mr. Saliterman had solicited Mr. Martin to steal the ruby slippers. Public data present that Mr. Saliterman has a prolonged prison historical past, with earlier fees of fraud, theft and shoplifting.
Mr. Saliterman was sentenced to 10 years in jail in April 1988 after he pleaded responsible to conspiracy to defraud the federal authorities and bank card fraud, The Star Tribune in Minneapolis reported on the time. Mr. Saliterman was one in all two individuals who had been part of “a complicated fencing ring that traded in costly furs, artworks and sports activities vehicles,” the newspaper reported.
