2 Men Sentenced In Theft Of Key West Museum's Gold Bar
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KEY WEST (CBSMiami/AP) — Two men have been sentenced for stealing a Key West museum's 17th-century gold bar.
During Monday's federal court hearing, Richard Steven Johnson of Rio Linda, California, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, while accomplice Jarred Alexander Goldman of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, received three years and four months.
Johnson took the gold bar out of its case while Goldman acted as the 'look out' during the heist.
They were both convicted of theft this past spring.
Johnson and Goldman were ordered to share in paying restitution of $570,195 that includes the 74.85-ounce gold bar's $556,000 value.
It was discovered in 1980 on a 1622 Spanish galleon shipwreck site off the Florida Keys.
It disappeared from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in 2010.
Only a fragment was recovered by authorities. It is now in the hands of the insurance company, which paid $100,000 to the museum for its loss.
The price was based on the value of the gold itself, not including the historic value of the 17th Century artifact.
The remainder of the gold bar is believed to have been split up and sold to various other people.
"Our biggest regret is that the bar is not coming back to the museum," said Corey Malcom, with the Mel Fisher Museum, told CBS4 Miami.
Johnson and Goldman had each faced up to 15 years for conspiracy and theft of a major artwork.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
