Florida art thief accepts plea deal
The alleged ringleader in the theft of two French Impressionist paintings valued at $6.7 million accepted a plea deal in Miami and was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison on one count of grand theft.
Fernando Alfaro, 48, was facing a maximum sentence of 30 years if convicted of grand theft. A second grand theft count and two other counts were dropped by the state as part of Tuesday’s agreement.
Police said the paintings by Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir were stolen in December 2002 from a beachfront mansion in Naples, Fla. Alfaro and two accomplices were arrested in the Miami area after trying to sell the artworks. The paintings were recovered.
Rigoberto Gonzalez, 34, and Carlos Suomanos, 38, were sentenced in the last week to two years each under plea bargains.
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