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| Jail Warden Pleads Guilty to Dali Theft |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 10/06/2003 |
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A prison warden pleaded guilty to stealing a drawing depicting the crucifixion of Christ by surrealist artist Salvador Dali from the lobby of a New York city jail, prosecutors said. Mitchell Hochhauser, 40, pleaded guilty to a single count of attempted grand larceny in exchange for a sentence of one to three years in prison. He could have faced up to 15 years. Hochhauser, an assistant deputy warden, was one of four officers who prosecutors say staged a fire drill at the Rikers Island jail to steal the Dali sketch and replace it with a copy. The untitled 1965 ink-and-pencil sketch has not been seen since the morning of March 1, hours after the fire drill gave the officers the chance to lift it from a locked display case, prosecutors say. The three others gave pleaded innocent to grand larceny charges. Hochhauser and the others thought they could sell the Dali for $1 million, prosecutors said. The $250,000 sketch was given to the jail by Dali after illness prevented him from a planned visit. Hochhauser is to be sentenced Nov. 17. |
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