posted 08-11-2005 04:32 PM               

Testimony began Wednesday in the trial of a former National Museum of Naval Aviation employee accused of stealing artifacts from the museum and selling them on eBay.

Sherrie Shaw of Pace was charged with dealing in stolen property, forgery and theft after a U.S. Navy "Black Widow" Cross and its citation, a Purple Heart and its citation and a Mercury astronaut space boot were advertised for sale on the popular Internet auction site in late 2002 and early 2003.

posted 08-12-2005 04:05 AM               

Following the Max Ary allegations I decided that in the future I would request some background info on any items I bought through the reputable space auction houses.

So far my repeated attempts to elicit any info beyond that given in the auction catalogue have yielded nothing. Not even a refusal, the matter has just quietly died.

The anonymity of sellers and the unwillingness of the auction houses to furnish further information has two major adverse results. First it leaves us, the collectors, wide open to buying stolen goods. Second (and possibly more importantly) it kills all the item's historical provenance.

posted 08-12-2005 12:11 PM               

Obviously nobody wants to buy stolen artifacts, but is a piece taken home by a NASA worker in the 70's considered "stolen" or a collectible to remind him/her of the program they worked on? From where I sit, thank God these guys took stuff home, because it's the only way most of the important artifacts make it onto the market for private collectors to buy.

There are auction houses selling items as "flown" when they aren't, because they get to add another couple of zeros onto the price. The problem is many of these items can't be proven one way or the other, so greed steps in and all of a sudden the artifacts becomes a flown piece. NASA or it's contractors didn't keep great records as to every piece of hardware on M-G-A that flew, so it lends itself to fraud by dishonest people. I'm not talking about "Stowage List" items, I'm referring to actual pieces of hardware used in the spacecraft.

I've bought many artifacts from people who worked on the programs that I know for a fact are flown, but I can't say they are because the worker didn't leave anything to prove it's history. There are other pieces where the worker left notes saying exactly what mission the artifact was flown on. I live a short drive from Downey where many NAA workers live and I can tell you, EVERYONE took stuff home.

Is it stolen or is it a piece of memorabilia? These things were taken home after the item was thrown out, the project was canceled or the item was never going to be used again, so is it considered stolen? Unfortunately many of the workers didn't document these items or even leave notes, but they are 100% authentic. Don't forget, after Apollo was canceled, these artifacts weren't worth anything, other than to the guys who worked on the project.

All of a sudden in the last five years, the prices go crazy for anything flown and for hardware. Like any collectible field, when the market is hot, people do stupid things (like stealing from a museum) or dishonest things (like saying something's flown) because there's big money involved.

The problem we're all having to worry about are criminals who are stealing important artifacts from museum collections that are easily tracked, then selling them through auction houses. If you demand the auction house offer provenance on every piece of hardware, close the doors because that will never happen. It's too much work for them to research every piece, they don't have the resources and they consider themselves nothing more than brokers of artifacts brought to them.

The auction houses will never refer clients to each other, it's the only way to maintain privacy and to keep control of the sale of other artifacts. If I had a customer with dozens of rare pieces, I sure wouldn't let anyone know who they were, because I'd be taking money out of my pocket. Expecting the auction houses to tell you who their clients are is not realistic.

posted 08-13-2005 03:59 AM               

Sherrie Shaw took the stand in her own defense on the third day of testimony in her trial on organized dealing in stolen property charges. The six-member jury is expected to begin deliberations Monday...

The astronaut space boot, Shaw said, was in poor condition and had been discarded from the museum. Museum deputy director Robert Macon was about to throw the boot into a trash can when Shaw asked if she could have it, she said.

Macon testified that he would never throw the boot away nor give Shaw permission to take it.

"I would see no reason why I would give a historic Naval relic to a person just because they asked for it," Macon said. "It violates every rule known to mankind."

posted 08-15-2005 10:13 AM               

She's a good woman, a lady I consider to be like my second mother of sorts. She is caring, smart, funny, loving, and just a great person to be around. She raised two of the most wonderful, smartest kids, two people I consider my best friends.

posted 08-15-2005 10:32 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by resident86:
Their mother may be taken away from them for something stupid like this!

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posted 08-15-2005 11:01 AM               

I've just been so upset lately. I don't consider museum collections to be "pretty objects to look at." (I love the aviation museum!) I am a lover of history, and I'm studying to become a history teacher at university. If she took the items, I don't think she thought of it as stealing if that makes any sense at all. She loves the Navy. I think everything has just been blown out of proportion somehow. I mean, she could spend up to forty years in jail! If she did in fact steal the items (hard for me to believe) then she should have to do something to make up for it, and not spend the rest of her life behind bars.

Maybe the items did get mixed in with her collection. For example, I once checked out a few books from my local library and turned most of them back in instead of two. I have a large amount of books. A few weeks ago, I had to clean my house because of the hurricane and I found the two books right there in my collection! I thought they were part of my collection. (I have bought many books from library sales therefore they still have call number stickers on the spine.) Does that make sense?

posted 08-15-2005 12:45 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by resident86:
Maybe the items did get mixed in with her collection. For example, I once checked out a few books from my local library and turned most of them back in instead of two. I have a large amount of books. A few weeks ago, I had to clean my house because of the hurricane and I found the two books right there in my collection! I thought they were part of my collection. (I have bought many books from library sales therefore they still have call number stickers on the spine.) Does that make sense?

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I do believe your statement that she loves the Navy, but she still may love her lifestyle slightly more.

posted 08-15-2005 02:04 PM               

I understand she collects items herself and it is this point that I personally find difficult to understand. I can recall how and when I acquired every artifact in my collection. I am sure the same can be said for every collector on this site or indeed any collector of any subject of note. I am quite sure the lady in question is no different.

posted 08-15-2005 07:29 PM               

A former employee was convicted Monday of stealing medals, citations and a Mercury astronaut's boot from the National Museum of Naval Aviation and selling them on the Internet.

A six-member jury took two hours to find Sherrie Shaw, 43, guilty of theft, forgery and dealing in stolen property.

Circuit Judge Linda Nobles said sentencing would be set after Sept. 14. Shaw could face a penalty ranging from probation to 20 years in prison, the Pensacola News Journal reported.

posted 08-16-2005 11:20 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Kandi:
Sherrie is not guilty!

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posted 08-18-2005 11:24 AM               

If you like a document or award make a photocopy or lasercopy of it. Take lots of pictures with your own camera. But never ever let any piece leave the premises.

If anything is discarded get the paperwork to prove it and keep it with that item, and backup copies of that paperwork in a safe for the rest of that items life (or yours).

How collections could get mixed together is truly beyond me. It is a poor example of not only conservatorship, but collecting as well.
I have a sympathetic heart and really did not want to believe what I was seeing here.

posted 12-21-2005 03:48 PM            

A former Navy museum employee convicted of museum theft will be sentenced today.

Sherrie Shaw was convicted in August of stealing artifacts from the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

She was also wanted for failing to appear in court on new charges of perjury during the investigation and tampering with evidence.
Shaw was ordered to appear for arraignment but didn't show up.

posted 12-22-2005 06:51 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Richard:
What was the final sentencing?

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Family members wept openly on Wednesday as a former National Museum of Naval Aviation employee was sentenced to jail time for stealing artifacts from the museum and selling them on eBay.

Sherrie Shaw of Pace was sentenced to a year and a day in state prison, followed by six years on probation. Shaw was taken into custody moments after Circuit Judge Linda Nobles announced the sentence.

The 44-year-old mother of two also must pay more than $3,200 in restitution -- the estimated value of the items she sold on the popular Internet auction site -- and is prohibited from working in a museum and selling or trading military artifacts.

posted 12-22-2005 07:56 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by cindy zort:
Well you all got your wish.

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Those entrusted with caring for our history must be held responsible when they fail at that job. A jury of her peers found Sherrie Shaw guilty. If she still feels she is innocent and there is cause, she can file an appeal.

However by her own statement (from the article linked above) it does not sound as though she plans to object:

This court may not always be right, but it's the one I signed up to defend. It's the one I believe in. We're not always guaranteed justice, but we're always guaranteed the opportunity for justice. If the jury says I'm wrong, I will not war with this court. I will not war with this country.

posted 12-22-2005 01:25 PM               

Sherrie is a very smart woman. The statement she made before sentencing proves it. Although she is innocent she accepts the courts decision until of course she has her appeal. And yes there will be an appeal.

posted 12-22-2005 03:18 PM               

A jury of her peers got to see all the evidence in open court and they made their decision based on the facts. Do you honestly think there's a vendetta against her or that anyone here has the time to devote to conspiring against your sister?

The fact is that we, on this website, are fascinated and devoted to the preservation of space history and historical artifacts from the space program. We are on this board for our passion with the space program and to share that passion with like minded others. Period.

What's painfully obvious is how your sister violated the trust given to her by borrowing, stealing, taking or dumpster diving for historical space relics, then selling said items to line her pockets. Do you actually think that anyone believes your sister "FOUND" a flown Mercury boot in the trash, then sold it on eBay, then was surprised that someone took notice?

Come on, give us the courtesy of having two brain cells and don't curse us for putting two and two together, then coming up an answer that you don't like.

I have no doubt that your sister is a wonderful person who loves her family and is a great mother. The fact still remains that, as wonderful as your sister is, she did some incredibly stupid things, for which she's going to spend time in jail. Do you honestly think that society enjoys paying to incarcerate your sister because of her own greed or stupidity? Don't you think it's your sisters own actions that put her in the situation she's in?

Fact: Your sister is a thief, she broke the tenants of her responsibility and trust to protect and maintain historical artifacts. She then sold those stolen items for personal gain to enrich herself. She was paid by the museum to protect and preserve of our space history for generations to enjoy. Unfortunately she chose to violate that trust, for which she's being punished.

posted 12-22-2005 04:39 PM               

Cindy, the "wish" to which you refer "we" had was not that your sister was found guilty and sentenced, but that the Mercury boot was never stolen and then sold. Our wish was that cases such as your sister's didn't serve to further the divide between collectors and our national museums (and their conservators). Even if we accept that your sister only made a mistake, its one that has far reaching consequences that impacts our community directly.

At the same time, we need to recognize that your family will hurt as a result, and that is equally unfortunate. You certainly didn't do anything to warrant your own life being interrupted, nor did your sister's other family members.

posted 12-22-2005 05:00 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by cindy zort:
If you knew the whole story maybe you wouldnt be so quick to judge.

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posted 12-23-2005 11:26 AM               

The evidence against her was absolutely overwhelming. The rest of the people in the courtroom, the judge, the jury as well as myself were all obviously astounded by the amount of overwhelmingly solid evidence against her. There was nothing but hard, cold, heavily documented facts that without a doubt proved Shaw was stealing from the museum.

The space boot was not all that she stole and shipped out of state to be sold. Remember she was not on trial for just theft; she had a total of three felonies she was on trial for. She also stole a Navy Cross and citation that were presented to William A. Smith, the man who is credited with single handedly saving the USS Enterprise and the lives of the thousands of men aboard her during the battle of the eastern solomons during WWII.

She also stole a purple heart and its citation also related to Enterprise. Both the cross and the Purple Heart were on display at one time in the museum and this was documented with photographs.

Also, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found what ended up to be box after box of research materials, books, documents and US Navy manuals in her home. They were not neatly packaged to be returned or to be sold, but on her bookshelf in her home and on her nightstand next to her bed where she could see them everyday! These items were stamped as being property of the National Museum of Naval Aviation right on the inside covers. One can only assume that she was using these to write her eBay descriptions.

Her excuse that the things got mixed in with personal items or that she forgot about them and she didn't know where they came from is bogus, only a fool would buy that. I don't know about you all, but as a collector, I think I would remember if I owned a Mercury space boot (one of only about ten in existence), a documented Purple Heart and Black Widow Navy Cross from the USS Enterprise, which was also the most decorated ship of WWII I might add.

The "they got mixed in" defense is not a defense at all; the museum's items shouldn't have been at her house to begin with, that is still stealing, hello! When she discovered them she could have shipped them back to the museum, but that wouldn't have made her any money. She had no problem shipping them to New York to be sold so that she could make a few bucks off them.

Pay attention here - in open court, for the record, she admitted that she was creating false documents and forging the names and signatures on them so that she could send them along with the items she was selling in order to bolster their provenance. She was not only stealing, but RIPPING OFF the buyers TOO! I am not making any of this up folks, it is all public record and the transcripts of the trial are available for all of us to view. If you don't believe me, please get the transcripts and have a read.

The statement that the museum was out to get her is about the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Are you suggesting that the museum made her steal the items and ship them to be sold? Or made her falsify documents? The NCIS, the Navy's investigative body won't even investigate a case unless you can prove more that 10k in property was stolen and the newspaper said the stuff was valued at only $3200.

So I guess the big bad evil museum created a government conspiracy that went through Washington to Tallahassee and baked up a giant conspiracy that involved the US Government and the state of Florida as well as every local law enforcement agency, the FDLE, the eBay investigators from California and a string of witnesses from all over the country. Some of the evidence dated back to the 1960s when the items were first received; did the museum fake that forty years ago?

Remember folks; it was the State of Florida that took her to trial, not the museum, not the US Government. Anyway, please don't take my word for it, do a Google search on "Sherrie Shaw" and see what the newspapers and TV stations say. Also, obtain a transcript of the trial from the Escambia county clerk of court and find out for yourself. You will find what I'm saying it true.

Also, I heard from a very reliable source that she was never offered a plea so she couldn't "cop" one if she wanted to.

Remember, Pensacola and the Florida panhandle is a military stronghold for active, reservist and retired military personnel from every branch of service. The National Museum of Naval Aviation is a centerpiece for our pride and heritage. The people of our area take stealing our heritage very seriously. I am very happy to see that some on this website do too.

Please understand, I do feel very sorry for her family, especially her sons. However, criminals must pay and she is a criminal without a doubt. She has six years of probation after she gets out of prison, which I believe means she can't leave the state during those six years. Hopefully during that time she can get the help she obviously needs and do something to lift the shame she has brought to her friends and family.