SCRANTON — A Covington Township man was sentenced earlier this week to federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution for his role in stealing art and sports memorabilia from museums in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Joseph Atsus, 51, to two years in prison and $1.07 million in restitution on charges of conspiracy, theft of major artwork and concealment of major artwork. Astus was convicted on the charges by a jury after a trial in U.S. District Court in Scranton in 2025.

According to a news release from U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the jury found Atsus guilty of stealing:

In 1999, sports memorabilia from Keystone College in Factoryville.
In 2005, a painting called “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs River” by Jackson Pollock from the Everhart Museum in Scranton.
In 2011, a painting called “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey valued at $120,000 and three antique firearms valued at $150,000 from an estate museum in Ringwood, N.J.
In 2011, golf trophies and memorabilia belonging to Art Wall Jr. from the Scranton Country Club in Clarks Summit.
In 2011, gold nuggets worth more than $100,000 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, N.J.
In 2014, nine World Series rings, seven championship rings, and two MVP plaques belonging to Yogi Berra from the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center in Little Falls, N.J.

Atsus committed the thefts as part of a larger, seven-person conspiracy, according to the news release.

Co-conspirators Nicholas Dombek, 55, of Thornhurst, and Damien Boland, 50, of Covington Township, wre also convicted with Atsus of conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, the news release says.

Dombek is awaiting sentencing as Boland was sentenced in December to nine years in prison.

Four additional co-conspirators pled guilty and have been sentenced:

Thomas Trotta, 50, of Dunmore, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for theft of major artwork.
Dawn Trotta, 53, of Dunmore, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Frank Tassiello, 52, of Taylor, as sentenced to six months in prison for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Ralph Parry, 47, of Springbrook Township, was sentenced to three years probation for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

The news release says after the co-conspirators stole the items, they transported the stolen goods often to the residence of Dombek, and melted the memorabilia down into metal discs or bars. They then sold the melted metal in the New York City area for money significantly less than the value of the sports memorabilia.

Dombek was accused of burning the painting “Upper Hudson” to avoid the painting from being discovered by investigators, the news release says.

Several of the antique firearms that were stolen from the Space Farms Zoe and Museum and the Ringwood estate have been recovered, while the whereabouts of many of the stolen paintings remain unknown.