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Gold Bar Thief Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison
In a shocking case of theft, Richard Steven Johnson, 41, of Rio Linda, California, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for his role in stealing a 17th century gold bar worth over $570,000. Johnson was convicted of conspiring to steal and stealing the gold bar from the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West on August 18, 2010.
Johnson’s accomplice, Jarred Alexander Goldman, 32, of Palm Beach Gardens, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after being convicted at trial. The two men were ordered to pay $570,195.43 in restitution to the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum.
According to the facts proven at Goldman’s trial and at the defendants’ sentencing hearings, Johnson and Goldman drove to Key West from West Palm Beach on August 18, 2010, and entered the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum. Goldman stood guard as a lookout while Johnson stole the gold bar from its display case. The two men then drove back to West Palm Beach, where Johnson cut up the gold bar and sold it off, piece by piece. Law enforcement was only able to recover a single remaining piece, comprising approximately 3% of the total gold bar.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney, Southern District of Florida, commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the Key West Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Monique Botero.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
The investigation and prosecution of this case serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting our cultural heritage and the serious consequences of stealing and selling valuable artifacts.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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