Juno Pleads Guilty To 4 Counts Of Fraud & Lying
By Deborah Fitts
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - A nationally prominent dealer in Civil War
relics pleaded guilty May 15 to two charges of fraud and two
of perjury.
George Juno, 40, of Allentown, Pa., was indicted by a federal
grand jury March 15 in connection with two phony appraisals
that he helped to stage on the popular PBS television program
Antiques Roadshow (May Civil War News), defrauding the family
of Union Maj. Samuel J. Wilson, and lying under oath about the
staged appraisals in court proceedings brought by George Pickett
V.
Juno's decision to plead guilty and cooperate with the office
of the United States Attorney was regarded as a sobering development
for his co-defendant, Russ Pritchard III. Pritchard, 37, of
Bryn Mawr, and Juno were principals, with Pritchard's father,
in American Ordnance Preservation Association (AOPA), a for-profit
business dealing in military artifacts.
Pritchard III was also indicted March 15 on multiple charges
of fraud, making a false statement and witness tampering.
Sources close to the investigation indicated that further indictments
were expected May 17, the day after the June issue of The Civil
War News went to press. Full coverage will follow in the July
edition.
In making his plea, Juno admitted to the phony
Roadshow segments and to lying under oath. He blamed "bad
associations and an error in judgment." [See later indictments
at www.usao-edpa.com/Pr/may/pritchard.pdf]
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Goldman said the day after Juno's
plea that he was "pleased with the developments of the
case." He declined further comment on account of the secrecy
of grand jury proceedings. But during Pritchard's arraignment,
Goldman had advised the judge that a "superceding indictment,"
with additional charges, would be filed against Pritchard. Pritchard's
attorney could not be contacted by presstime. Pritchard pleaded
innocent and is free on $300,000 bond.
Juno's attorney, John Waldron, said he and his client would
seek probation rather than jail time during sentencing Aug.
16 in front of U.S. District Judge Petrese Tucker.
Goldman noted, however, that while Juno was cooperating with
the government, he still faces a possible 20 years in prison
and a $1 million fine, plus restitution, for pleading guilty
to one count each of mail and wire (telephone) fraud, and two
counts of making false statements in a court proceeding ancillary
to a civil action. The sentence will ultimately be up to the
judge, he said
Waldron asserted that Juno "has accepted responsibility.
He regrets that this happened. He made a mistake but he's done
everything he can to correct it."
Waldron added that Juno, who is free on $100,000 bond, continues
to deal in military relics, although AOPA no longer exists.
"It's his life," Waldron said. "I gather he's
one of the best in his field."
The indictments stemmed from two appearances by Juno and Pritchard
on Roadshow in 1996. The pair allegedly provided acquaintances
with swords ahead of time and then appraised the swords on the
air as if they were chosen from the crowd. The sessions were
crafted "to enhance their reputation as experts in the
appraisal of military artifacts, and to attract potential sellers…,"
the indictment charged.
The two appearances were what led to the main charges in the
indictment. The family of Major Wilson, who participated in
Sherman's March to the Sea, contacted AOPA after watching Roadshow,
seeking an appraisal of Wilson's presentation sword.
Pritchard and Juno purchased the sword for $7,950, allegedly
making "false representations" that it would be displayed
for the public at the new National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg,
Pa
.
Instead, Juno admitted giving the sword to his father as collateral
for a personal loan, and later it was sold to a private collector
for $20,000, half in cash and half in relics. Juno gave the
Wilson family a false receipt stating the sale price as $10,000
Waldron noted that Juno has since recovered the sword, compensating
the private collector for it, and turned it over to the U.S.
Attorney's office. The sword was present in court during Juno's
plea session May 15. Waldron said it would eventually be returned
to the Wilson family. The counts of making false statements
stem from depositions by Juno in an entirely separate case,
one brought in 1998 against AOPA by George Pickett V, after
Pritchard and Juno purchased a trunkful of relics belonging
to Pickett's great-great grandfather, Gen. George Pickett, for
$87,500 and sold them to the City of Harrisburg days later for
$880,000.
Goldman noted that when Pickett's attorney asked Juno if the
Roadshow appearances were faked, Juno flatly denied it under
oath.
Antiques Roadshow severed its ties with Juno and Pritchard last
year, accusing the two men of "extravagant deception."
