San Diego

A San Diego art dealer pleaded not guilty Friday to 12 counts of grand theft in the sale of allegedly forged paintings and lithographs that purported to be works of famed Western artist Olaf Wieghorst.

Louis Esquivel Almeida, 49, of La Mesa was allowed to remain free on his own recognizance by Municipal Judge H. Ronald Domnitz.

Wieghorst, of El Cajon, died April 27 at age 88, but participated in the lengthy investigation before his death, said Steve Casey, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office.

The scheme began in 1982, when Almeida decided to sell counterfeit Wieghorst paintings and lithographs from his business, Brentwood Gallery at 1211 Morena Blvd., Casey said.

The investigation indicates that a painting either was copied in oil or was photographed and the print then placed on canvas and shellacked to give the appearance of oil, Casey said.

Almeida also sold original paintings by Wieghorst.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Lantz Lewis said the loss to victims exceeds $200,000.

“It’s clear that they’re forgeries,” he said after the arraignment.

Lewis noted that it is not illegal to copy a painting but that the crime involved misrepresentation by Almeida that the paintings he sold were originals.

Domnitz set a preliminary hearing for April 18. Grand theft carries a potential penalty of three years in state prison.