For Theft of Rare Maps, a Sentence of 42 Months
A map dealer who stole nearly 100 rare maps valued at $3 million from Yale and other institutions was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on Wednesday after a federal judge credited him for helping the authorities retrieve most of the items taken.
Representatives of the institutions that were looted, who had traveled long distances to lobby for a stiff sentence, left the court saying they were deeply disappointed with the punishment given the map dealer, Edward Forbes Smiley III. Federal sentencing guidelines suggested that Mr. Smiley was looking at a term of 57 to 71 months, although the maximum penalty was 10 years.
Mr. Smiley, 50, told the court he was “deeply ashamed” and was eager to make restitution to the institutions and dealers who lost money. Some of the stolen maps have not been retrieved, and dealers who bought maps from Mr. Smiley and then resold them often had to reimburse their clients so that the maps could be returned.
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Representatives of the institutions that were looted, who had traveled long distances to lobby for a stiff sentence, left the court saying they were deeply disappointed with the punishment given the map dealer, Edward Forbes Smiley III. Federal sentencing guidelines suggested that Mr. Smiley was looking at a term of 57 to 71 months, although the maximum penalty was 10 years.
Mr. Smiley, 50, told the court he was “deeply ashamed” and was eager to make restitution to the institutions and dealers who lost money. Some of the stolen maps have not been retrieved, and dealers who bought maps from Mr. Smiley and then resold them often had to reimburse their clients so that the maps could be returned.