Accused would-be MAG art thief faces new charge | Art

The people today have upped the stakes in their situation in opposition to George Haag, the accused would-be art thief who is alleged to have tried using to steal a photograph from an Andy Warhol show at the Memorial Art Gallery in January 2021.

Haag, 38, past 12 months refused a plea offer from Monroe County prosecutors to transfer his situation to mental health and fitness court, which gives therapy for non-violent offenders dwelling with mental ailment, as an alternate to demo and possible incarceration.

At the time, he stood accused of grand larceny in the 2nd diploma, a felony that carries a highest 7-12 months jail expression, for allegedly attempting to take a portrait of Warhol by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe valued at $60,000 out of the museum.

Soon after the plea offer fell aside, his case was presented to a grand jury, which tacked on an supplemental cost of 3rd-diploma burglary, a felony that also carries a probable seven many years in jail.

Linked: An accused would-be art thief has his working day in court

Prosecutors stated for the duration of arraignment in January that the new cost was similar to Haag apparently not paying to enter the museum the working day of his alleged crime. They sought to have him jailed pending the publishing of $5,000 bail.

State Supreme Court Justice Alex Renzi rejected the bail software and scheduled Haag to return to court on Feb. 23.

In an interview with Metropolis very last yr, Haag acknowledged removing the Mapplethorpe portrait from the wall at the Magazine, but discussed that he established it down in an additional space of the exhibit in advance of leaving the museum because he thought it would appear superior in other places.

David Andreatta is CITY’s editor. He can be achieved at [email protected].