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 line with the authorities, who stated that he had threatened to a launch a intercourse tape of a lady if she advised the authorities in regards to the theft.
The person, Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Hennepin County, Minn., was charged on Friday with one rely of theft of main art work and one rely of witness tampering, in line with court docket information that have been launched on Sunday. He didn’t enter a plea when he appeared within the U.S. District Court docket in St. Paul on Friday.
The famed red-sequined pumps, one in every of a number of pairs that Garland wore in filming “The Wizard of Oz,” have 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 that they had been recovered.
In line with the indictment, between August 2005 and July 2018, Mr. Saliterman “obtained, hid, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage,” referring to the ruby slippers, which the indictment says he knew have 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 maintain her mouth shut” and spoke with the F.B.I. in regards to the theft, the indictment stated.
Mr. Saliterman was launched on Friday on his personal recognizance, in line with court docket paperwork. He was photographed leaving the courthouse in a wheelchair, carrying a conveyable respiration machine. His subsequent court docket look had not been scheduled as of Monday afternoon.
It was unclear whether or not another arrests in reference to the theft have been anticipated.
John Brink, a lawyer for Mr. Saliterman, stated on Monday that Mr. Saliterman deliberate to plead not responsible when he’s arraigned.
“He’s finished nothing incorrect,” Mr. Brink stated.
Prosecutors declined to remark in regards to the case whereas it’s pending.
The primary man charged within the case, Terry Martin, 76, of Minnesota, pleaded responsible in October 2023 to at least one rely of theft of main art work. He was spared time in jail and was as a substitute sentenced in January to at least one 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 attorneys had agreed that he mustn’t face time in jail as a result of he had persistent obstructive pulmonary illness, requires oxygen and is in hospice care. Prosecutors stated in January that Mr. Martin was not anticipated to reside past the following six months.
Dane DeKrey, a lawyer for Mr. Martin, wrote in court docket paperwork that Mr. Martin had “no thought” that the ruby slippers have been such well-known cultural objects in American movie and that he believed the sneakers had been made with “actual rubies” that he may peel off and promote on the black market. Mr. Martin stated that his plan had been foiled when he realized the gems have been made from glass.
Mr. Martin had earlier expertise with stolen jewels, and he had frolicked in jail for housebreaking, in line with Mr. DeKrey. In 2005, Mr. Martin had been out of jail for 10 years when he was contacted by an “previous mob affiliate” about “a job,” Mr. DeKrey wrote in court docket paperwork.
It was unclear whether or not the authorities have been contending that Mr. Saliterman had solicited Mr. Martin to steal the ruby slippers. Public information present that Mr. Saliterman has a prolonged legal historical past, with earlier expenses 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 every of two individuals who had been part of “a complicated fencing ring that traded in costly furs, artworks and sports activities vehicles,” the newspaper reported.