Real Estate Heir to Face New Charges

Federal officials unveiled new charges Friday against wealthy real estate heir Robert Durst, hours before he had expected to walk free from jail after his acquittal on murder charges.

Patrick L. Meehan, the U.S. attorney in eastern Pennsylvania, said Durst was charged by a federal grand jury with interstate transportation of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice and transportation of a firearm by a person under indictment. Durst was still in Texas on Friday night but would soon be transported to Pennsylvania to face the charges, officials said.

If convicted, Durst, 61, could face a 15-year prison term and a fine of $500,000.

His attorneys could not be reached for comment.

The charges stem from Durst’s decision to go on the run in the fall of 2001 rather than face murder charges in Texas. Durst had been charged in Galveston, south of Houston, with murdering and dismembering his neighbor, Morris Black. After posting a $300,000 bond, Durst fled to the northeast. During that time, according to federal government documents, Durst carried two .38-caliber handguns over state lines. He was arrested after stealing a sandwich from a central Pennsylvania deli.

Authorities acknowledged Friday that the goal of the new allegations was to keep him behind bars.

“Robert Durst is a danger to society,” said Galveston Police Sgt. Cody Cazalas. He said Durst’s November 2003 acquittal on the murder charge -- despite Durst’s admitting he dismembered his neighbor -- meant “justice had not been served.”

Cazalas called federal law enforcement agencies, who agreed to take up the case in an effort to keep Durst behind bars.

This was particularly important, Cazalas and other law enforcement officials said, because Durst was a “person of interest” in at least three other disappearances.

Durst had been in custody for the past year on other charges. but state authorities decided he could be released this week.