Three Plead Guilty in Moon Rock Theft Case
23 Dec 2002
(Source: NASA Headquarters)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Office of Inspector General
Washington, D.C. 20546
December 23, 2002
RELEASE 2003-015
On December 17, 2002, Tiffany B. Fowler and Shae L. Saur appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge, Middle District of Florida, and pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit theft and interstate transportation of stolen property. On December 18, 2002, Thad R. Roberts pled guilty to the same charges.
Fowler, Saur and Roberts, students working at NASA's Johnson Space Center, conspired to steal a 600-pound safe that contained priceless lunar samples and Martian meteorites. A fourth individual, Gordon S. McWhorter, was also charged with conspiracy to commit theft and interstate transportation of stolen property. McWhorter is scheduled to go to trial in January 2003.
The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Division, and the NASA Office of Inspector General. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle DesVaux Bedke, Middle District of Florida, Tampa, Florida.
For more information on this release, please contact Paul Shawcross, Executive Officer, NASA Office of Inspector General, at (202) 358-2558.
Previous Release: 2002-081, 07/22/02 - Four Arrested in Scheme to Sell Stolen Moon Rocks http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/press/pr2002-081.html
