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Exterior of the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Penn., photographed in September 2007. It was among the museums and institutions targeted by a burglary ring during the course of two decades. On June 30, three of the nine individuals involved pleaded guilty to federal charges relating to the case. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Jeffrey from Dunmore, Penn. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Guilty pleas entered by three from burglary ring that stole art, including Warhol, Pollock

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Exterior of the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Penn., photographed in September 2007. It was among the museums and institutions targeted by a burglary ring during the course of two decades. On June 30, three of the nine individuals involved pleaded guilty to federal charges relating to the case. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Jeffrey from Dunmore, Penn. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Exterior of the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Penn., photographed in September 2007. It was among the museums and institutions targeted by a burglary ring during the course of two decades. On June 30, three of the nine individuals involved pleaded guilty to federal charges. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Jeffrey from Dunmore, Penn. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) – Three of nine people have pleaded guilty to federal charges in a burglary ring that authorities in northeastern Pennsylvania say stole artwork – including works by Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock – as well as antique weapons, sports memorabilia and other items from museums and other institutions during two decades.

Ralph Parry, 45, and Francesco “Frank” Tassiello, 50, pleaded guilty June 30 to conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork and interstate transportation of stolen property, the Scranton Times-Tribune reported. Daryl Rinker, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit concealment and disposal of major artwork and interstate transportation of stolen property, the paper reported.

Federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced charges in June against nine Lackawanna County residents in 18 heists from art, historical and sports museums and other institutions in six states between 1999 and 2019.

The thefts included Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock artworks taken in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton and a Jasper Cropsey work and antique firearms worth hundreds of thousands of dollars taken from Ringwood Manor in New Jersey. Other pieces of art, antique weapons and gems and gold nuggets were taken from other institutions, along with valuable sports championship rings, belts and trophies, authorities said.

Rinker purchased several stolen firearms, including an 1860 rifle worth $250,000, court records said. The weapons were seized during the investigation and remain in FBI custody, prosecutors said.

Rinker’s attorney, Chris Caputo, said that his client was “very sorry” and emphasized that he was not part of the actual thefts. Tassiello’s attorney declined comment and attempts to reach Parry’s attorney were unsuccessful, the Times-Tribune reported. Both men were involved as drivers, court records said.

Plea hearings are scheduled for two other defendants for July 5. Three others are scheduled for trial later this year and one person remains at large, authorities said.

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