Document Thief Sentenced On Mail Fraud Charge

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Daniel Witek, 54, of Buffalo NY, who was convicted of mail fraud, was sentenced to time served (six months) by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The defendant was also ordered to pay $2,100.00 in restitution.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael DiGiacomo and Jonathan P. Cantil, who handled the case, stated that in the Spring of 2013, the defendant was a volunteer at the Buffalo History Museum. While volunteering at the museum, Witek devised a scheme to access and then stole certain historical writings addressed to Anson Conger Goodyear that belonged to the museum. The defendant then offered to sell the stolen documents to autograph dealers in New York City and New Jersey.  

Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, and the United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Lewis Robinson.