Three Pennsylvania men convicted for role in art, memorabilia heists
(WHTM) — Three Pennsylvania men were found guilty for their roles in several art heists after a four week trial.
Nicholas Dombek, 54, of Thornhurst; Damien Boland, 48, of Moscow; and Joseph Atsus, 48, of Roaring Brook, were convicted Friday on federal theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property charges.
The three men were part of a nine-person conspiracy over two decades to break into multiple museums and other institutions to steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia, and more.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE > Nine Pennsylvanians charged for decades-long museum heists
Some of the items stolen included a Christy Matthewson jersey and two contracts signed by him, stolen from Keystone College in 1999; 'Le Grande Passion' by Andy Warhol and 'Springs Winter' by Jackson Pollock from the Everhart Museum in Scranton; Ten World Series rings, seven championship rings, and two MVP plaques belonging to Yogi Berra from his museum in Little Falls, New Jersey; fourteen trophies and other awards from the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen New York, and more.
Five co-conspirators pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Another man was acquitted.
The three men were accused of taking the stolen goods back to northeast Pennsylvania. melting the memorabilia down into metal discs or bars and selling the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for significantly less than the memorabilia was worth.
Dombek burned the painting 'Upper Hudson' by Jasper Cropsey to avoid it being discovered by investigators. Other items' whereabouts are unknown, though several antique firearms were recovered.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Fanta's Law' aims to require Pennsylvania police firearms training courses
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A Pennsylvania Representative is aiming to 'hold police to the highest standards' by requiring mandatory in-service firearms training courses. Representative David Delloso's (D-Delaware) bill, also known as Fanta's Law, was created in response to an incident in August 2021, when eight-year-old Fanta Billy was shot and killed by three police officers who were responding to a gunfight in the area. The officers fired at a moving vehicle they believed to be involved in the shooting and ultimately killed Fanta and injured three others, including Fanta's 12-year-old sister. An investigation was opened into the shooting and found that the officers involved fired a total of 25 shots at the vehicle. Delloso noted that although the officers involved accepted their involvement in Fanta's death and are serving probation, their 'reckless, split-second decision to start firing at a random vehicle will forever stay with the community.' Fanta's Law would require all law enforcement officers in an agency located in a county of the second class A with a population between 565,000 and 600,000 to undergo and complete mandatory in-service firearms training courses at least four times each year. In addition to the training, officers would also have the opportunity to undergo 'real-world simulation training' at least twice per year to better prepare them for confrontations. 'As elected officials, we need to ensure the safety and security of all of our fellow Pennsylvanians,' Delloso wrote. 'By requiring our law enforcement officers to complete these concentrated, real-world trainings, they will be better equipped to protect our families and themselves should they need to.' Documentation of the training would be required, with officers who fail to complete the training requirements placed on administrative leave until the requirements are met. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Sen. Baker announces Judiciary Committee approval of public safety bills
Jun. 4—WILKES-BARRE — Three significant bills aimed at enhancing public safety and modernizing Pennsylvania's criminal statutes were approved by the Judiciary Committee, which she serves as chair, Sen. Lisa Baker said on Wednesday. "These bills reflect a thoughtful approach to balancing innovation and public safety," said Baker, R-Lehman Township. "They represent another step forward in ensuring our justice system keeps pace with the times." The approved legislation includes: —Senate Bill 635: Baker said there are rising reports of drug dealers targeting people staying at recovery houses as they work to try and break the cycle of addiction. "Allowing for sentencing enhancements for those pedaling drugs within 1,000 feet of these facilities ensures sufficient penalties are in place to counteract this deadly practice and protect vulnerable individuals," Baker said. —Senate Bill 649: Baker said deep-fakes are being used to commit a variety of costly and disruptive crimes. These include scamming the elderly, embarrassing and extorting public figures and private individuals, and interfering with political campaigns. "Given the novelty of deep-fakes and their potential for misuse, our crimes code must be adapted to allow prosecutors to pursue these bad actors," Baker said. —Senate Bill 739: Criminals are ever resourceful in exploiting new technology for illegal purposes. Organized car theft operations are turning to devices that intercept key fob signals. Baker said this measure seeks to combat those who are manipulating legitimate key fob signals to steal vehicles, and the valuables sometimes kept inside, by making it a first-degree misdemeanor and ensuring the law keeps pace with technological developments. "As technology advances, so do the methods employed by those seeking to exploit it for criminal purposes," said Baker. "By updating our laws to include offenses like digital forgery and pirating key fobs, we are taking proactive steps to protect Pennsylvanians from emerging threats." The bills now head to the full Senate for consideration. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
PA State Attorney General warns residents of new text scam
(WBRE/WYOU) — State Attorney General Dave Sunday is warning Pennsylvanians about a new text scam. Residents are getting fake messages claiming to be from the DMV, threatening license suspensions and fines. They include links to pay, but officials say don't click them. Shapiro, Senate Republicans clash over mass transit spending as budget deadline looms Sunday says the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation does not send texts about traffic violations or fines. Officials are asking residents to report any messages to the Attorney General's Office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
