TWO TEXANS CHARGED WITH STEALING SHUTTLE DEBRIS

AP Breaking News ^ | 5 February 2003 | Joseph Verrengia

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

LUFKIN, Texas (AP) - Two Texans were indicted Wednesday on federal charges they stole pieces of space shuttle Columbia that had dropped onto the countryside. Federal officials in Texas also declared an amnesty period extending until 5 p.m. Friday, during which people who have collected shuttle debris can turn it in without fear of being prosecuted. After that, prosecutions will resume, they said. Merrie Hipp, 43, of Henderson, was charged with theft of government property for allegedly stealing a shuttle circuit board on Saturday.

Bradley Justin Gaudet, 23, of Nacogdoches, was charged in a separate incident with stealing a piece of thermal insulating fabric. Gaudet is a student at Steven F. Austin State University. "The issue here is the thermodynamics of the space shuttle and any piece of that is important to this investigation," said U.S. Attorney Michael Shelby. "No one knows which piece will unravel the mystery." The charges carry a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Both defendants awaited arraignment Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said they are conducting at least 17 investigations into reports of people taking shuttle debris as souvenirs. They would not give specifics or comment on whether those cases were related to attempts by people to sell purported shuttle debris on eBay. "These two individuals are first," Orwig said. "There is no particular threshold. They are an example, whether it's our intention or not. Authorities urged members of the public to take advantage of the amnesty period. "If you turn the piece over and describe where you found the piece, we will not prosecute you," Orwig said.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Funny how they are so eager to punish someone for picking up shuttle debris (which should happen) but are reluctant to prosecute those who dishonestly cooked the accounting with a number of corporations, who illegally come into this country to work, who murder people, who...

Man, I am truly sick of the whole thing. A guy picks up a piece of the shuttle and keeps it (and hurts whom?) and is VERY quickly prosecuted. However, Tyson is just now going on trial for something they've been doing for years. I'd like an answer.

And no, I don't have any pieces of the shuttle.

[wideawake]

(and hurts whom?)

The taxpayers he stole it from.

[ffusco]

Try to be less emotional.These nuts and bolts are the remains of 7 astronauts. Do these people have any conscience, NO. Hoarding parts of a crime scene, which is evidence of a national trajedy is abject selfishness. What possible value does a souvenir of this disaster have to anyone but the forensic analysts at NASA.

[L_Von_Mises]

This makes me sick. 10 years in prison and a 1/4 million dollar fine for picking up a souvenir off the ground. The article doesn't mention where they found the pieces - it just says "countryside." The way the headline reads one would think they broke into some government installation and stole it. People do less time for murder in some states.

[Hunble]

Send NASA a photo of the item, the GPS coordinates where it was found, your name address.

If it turns out to be critical for the investigation, then NASA has all the information that they need.

I agree, this is dumb and counter-productive.

[Catspaw]

They said they'd prosecute. Apparently, these two didn't listen.

[Republic]

And I am sickened that someone would steal a piece of that horrendous crash and withhold it from those who are trying to discover the cause of the deaths of our wonderful space heros. That is so sick, so demented and unethical it makes me sick. GOOD FOR OUR GOVERNMENT! Nail the creeps.

[flying Elvis]

A critical piece of STOLEN material may decide the fates of future astronauts as well as billions of dollars of taxpayer money. Also a critical piece may provide evidence of a wrong doings at NASA. It's been made crystal clear what would happen to thieves of shuttle parts and these two gambled and lost.

[stanz]

You are sempre ragione...at least this time. Those pieces of shuttle debris are crucial for NASA to try to figure out what caused the shuttle to disintegrate. Those people were just stupid. They were warned.

[an amused spectator]

The taxpayers he stole it from.

By this "logic", I guess "the taxpayers" shouldn't leave their s**t strewn across a dozen-odd states.

Are "the taxpayers" guilty of littering?

I understand the need for an investigation, but this kind of stuff just tears up the "credibility" of the American "justice system" even more.

[an amused spectator]

Those people were just stupid. They were warned.

They should have perjured themselves in front of a federal judge and grand jury, and then claimed that it was "just about foam - everybody does it".

The legal types are just insane.

[Revolting cat!]

The taxpayers he stole it from.

Darn it, they now prosecute people for stealing from theirselves!

[Catspaw]

You mean I can take stuff from the government because I'm a taxpayer? I mean I've been eying up a nice little house in Washington DC in a prime location with good parking. Think I can move in with George and Laura?

[an amused spectator]

Thieving bastards! ;-)

[Revolting cat!]

The charges carry a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

I'm with ya, but the insanity is with this ongoing pretend game of stern punishment, when no one has ever been or will be sent up the river for 10 years or charged 250 big ones. Unfortunately, we all play along (see the comments above,) while the average time spend in prison for murder is, what, 7 years? Who's kidding who?

[an amused spectator]

I mean I've been eying up a nice little house in Washington DC in a prime location with good parking.

Have at it - but let's do the 6-state jigsaw puzzle thingamajig first. We'll give you a picture to work off of. ;-)

[Revolting cat!]

Hey, who stole my tagline? I'm a taxpayer too!

[an amused spectator]

while the average time spend in prison for murder is, what, 7 years?

I think I've seen 4 years for second-degree muder (which is first-degree pleaded down, usually).

[Richard Kimball]

This isn't any change from normal policy. Because most crashes are contained within a smaller space, theft of parts is generally less of an issue because the area is easier to secure. I will guarantee you, though, if someone tries to keep a piece of any airplane involved in an FAA investigation, no matter how small, they will find themselves under the jail.

[wideawake]

I'm gonna guess that idiots swiping what amounts to a impromptu gravestone haven't generated enough taxable income in their lives to pay for a Shuttle circuitboard.

Half of us are taxpayers, the other half are taxeaters. These graverobbers clearly fall in the latter category.