Pete Pihos Update "Indictment"
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From the April 1st Edition of the Gloversville Leader-Herald:
"Memorabilia scam leads to charges"
By MARK ROBARGE, The Leader-Herald
GLOVERSVILLE - A federal grand jury has indicted a city man on charges involving the alleged theft of $30,000 in sports memorabilia from the ex-wife of a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Shawn M. Stevens, 26, of 66 Montgomery St., was indicted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., on one count each of using fraudulent checks and interstate transportation of stolen property. He is accused of using phony checks to purchase memorabilia from Donna Pihos-Howell, the ex-wife and caretaker of former Philadelphia Eagles end Pete Pihos, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease.
According to the United States Code, Stevens faces up to 10 years in prison and an unspecified fine on each count, if convicted.
Mike Smrtic, a Gloversville attorney representing Stevens, said Wednesday he was unaware of the indictment, but the charges did not come as a surprise.
"This is the stuff we've been working on," Smrtic said. "It's what we've been expecting."
Smrtic said he and his client have been cooperating with the U.S. Attorney's office in Greensboro and will surrender to authorities in North Carolina when they are formally notified of the indictment.
"We're not going to run from them," Smrtic said. "We've been working with the U.S. Attorney's office, and when they tell us they want us down there, we'll be there."
According to Pihos-Howell, Stevens approached the couple using the pseudonym Dr. James Hart and offered to buy the mementos, which included jerseys and equipment worn by Pihos during his career, as well as a football signed by 25 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, to help them pay costs associated with Pihos' illness.
Pihos-Howell said Stevens gave her three $10,000 checks drawn on a New York City bank when they met Jan. 31 in Winston-Salem, N.C., where the couple lives. Smrtic said he has been working with the U.S. Attorney's office on an arrangement to return the items, but Pihos-Howell said all the items were returned to her Tuesday, except for about 300 photos she said Pihos signed for Stevens during that visit.
"I'm so happy to get the stuff back," Pihos-Howell said Wednesday. "I just have to trust that the justice system will do what it is supposed to do."
Pihos-Howell said she was surprised Stevens was only indicted on the two counts but would not criticize the U.S. Attorney's office for the way it handled the case.
"It seems to me more could have been done," Pihos-Howell said, "but he did return the stuff, and they said he expressed remorse."
Lynne P. Klauer, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case, declined to comment this morning on the indictment or any negotiations with Stevens and his attorney.
The case drew national attention when Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly wrote about the couple's plight in a pair of March columns. And while the situation was distressing for a couple already dealing with the hardships of coping with Alzheimer's disease, Pihos-Howell said the publicity has brought a bright side in the outpouring of support from the public.
"People have called; they have sent cards," she said. "When you're dealing with Alzheimer's, you can feel very alone. It has made me feel good to see that people care."
Pihos-Howell has set up an account at Wachovia Bank in Winston-Salem for Pihos' medical expenses and said they have already received more than $1,300 in donations, in addition to another $1,000 that has been collected by Jeff Whitmore, a Richmond, Va., memorabilia dealer who helped the couple identify Stevens as the man who allegedly defrauded them.
"Almost everything that's in that account has come from Jeff Whitmore," Pihos-Howell said. "I can't say enough about how wonderful he has been."
Whitmore said he and other dealers who communicate through the Web site signingshotline.com have worked together on several efforts to raise money for the couple.
"The impact on the Pihoses was so emotional that a bunch of us on Signings Hotline decided to do something," Whitmore said. "This was such a terrible story in the beginning, but some wonderful things have come out of it."
Hal Jarvis, a Blairsville, Ga., dealer, hosted a private signing session with Pihos, with all proceeds going to the couple, Whitmore said, while he and another dealer auctioned off a helmet signed by about 30 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as commemorative art cards signed by many Hall of Famers, through signingshotline.com.
"It's really neat because it gives everybody on Signings Hotline a chance to do something," Whitmore said, "and it's really neat because it gave other Hall of Famers a chance to help, too."
The other man who helped identify Stevens, Mike Hauser of Gloversville, who has promoted local sports card and memorabilia shows in the area for about 15 years and worked with Stevens on shows in November 2002 and January 2003, said he is planning a local event to help raise money for the couple, as well.
"It bothers me, the black eye this has given to Gloversville," Hauser said. "I want to counter it with the benefit show."
Hauser said he has already talked to the couple about coming to the area and is working to line up other players to take part. He said he hopes to schedule the show for May or June.
"The most important thing is that Pete Pihos got his items back," Hauser said, "but it was real nice to say how other people came together to help him out."
"Memorabilia scam leads to charges"
By MARK ROBARGE, The Leader-Herald
GLOVERSVILLE - A federal grand jury has indicted a city man on charges involving the alleged theft of $30,000 in sports memorabilia from the ex-wife of a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Shawn M. Stevens, 26, of 66 Montgomery St., was indicted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., on one count each of using fraudulent checks and interstate transportation of stolen property. He is accused of using phony checks to purchase memorabilia from Donna Pihos-Howell, the ex-wife and caretaker of former Philadelphia Eagles end Pete Pihos, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease.
According to the United States Code, Stevens faces up to 10 years in prison and an unspecified fine on each count, if convicted.
Mike Smrtic, a Gloversville attorney representing Stevens, said Wednesday he was unaware of the indictment, but the charges did not come as a surprise.
"This is the stuff we've been working on," Smrtic said. "It's what we've been expecting."
Smrtic said he and his client have been cooperating with the U.S. Attorney's office in Greensboro and will surrender to authorities in North Carolina when they are formally notified of the indictment.
"We're not going to run from them," Smrtic said. "We've been working with the U.S. Attorney's office, and when they tell us they want us down there, we'll be there."
According to Pihos-Howell, Stevens approached the couple using the pseudonym Dr. James Hart and offered to buy the mementos, which included jerseys and equipment worn by Pihos during his career, as well as a football signed by 25 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, to help them pay costs associated with Pihos' illness.
Pihos-Howell said Stevens gave her three $10,000 checks drawn on a New York City bank when they met Jan. 31 in Winston-Salem, N.C., where the couple lives. Smrtic said he has been working with the U.S. Attorney's office on an arrangement to return the items, but Pihos-Howell said all the items were returned to her Tuesday, except for about 300 photos she said Pihos signed for Stevens during that visit.
"I'm so happy to get the stuff back," Pihos-Howell said Wednesday. "I just have to trust that the justice system will do what it is supposed to do."
Pihos-Howell said she was surprised Stevens was only indicted on the two counts but would not criticize the U.S. Attorney's office for the way it handled the case.
"It seems to me more could have been done," Pihos-Howell said, "but he did return the stuff, and they said he expressed remorse."
Lynne P. Klauer, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case, declined to comment this morning on the indictment or any negotiations with Stevens and his attorney.
The case drew national attention when Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly wrote about the couple's plight in a pair of March columns. And while the situation was distressing for a couple already dealing with the hardships of coping with Alzheimer's disease, Pihos-Howell said the publicity has brought a bright side in the outpouring of support from the public.
"People have called; they have sent cards," she said. "When you're dealing with Alzheimer's, you can feel very alone. It has made me feel good to see that people care."
Pihos-Howell has set up an account at Wachovia Bank in Winston-Salem for Pihos' medical expenses and said they have already received more than $1,300 in donations, in addition to another $1,000 that has been collected by Jeff Whitmore, a Richmond, Va., memorabilia dealer who helped the couple identify Stevens as the man who allegedly defrauded them.
"Almost everything that's in that account has come from Jeff Whitmore," Pihos-Howell said. "I can't say enough about how wonderful he has been."
Whitmore said he and other dealers who communicate through the Web site signingshotline.com have worked together on several efforts to raise money for the couple.
"The impact on the Pihoses was so emotional that a bunch of us on Signings Hotline decided to do something," Whitmore said. "This was such a terrible story in the beginning, but some wonderful things have come out of it."
Hal Jarvis, a Blairsville, Ga., dealer, hosted a private signing session with Pihos, with all proceeds going to the couple, Whitmore said, while he and another dealer auctioned off a helmet signed by about 30 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as commemorative art cards signed by many Hall of Famers, through signingshotline.com.
"It's really neat because it gives everybody on Signings Hotline a chance to do something," Whitmore said, "and it's really neat because it gave other Hall of Famers a chance to help, too."
The other man who helped identify Stevens, Mike Hauser of Gloversville, who has promoted local sports card and memorabilia shows in the area for about 15 years and worked with Stevens on shows in November 2002 and January 2003, said he is planning a local event to help raise money for the couple, as well.
"It bothers me, the black eye this has given to Gloversville," Hauser said. "I want to counter it with the benefit show."
Hauser said he has already talked to the couple about coming to the area and is working to line up other players to take part. He said he hopes to schedule the show for May or June.
"The most important thing is that Pete Pihos got his items back," Hauser said, "but it was real nice to say how other people came together to help him out."
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But the big surprise to me is Pihos-Howell. Pihos must be one heck of a guy to have his ex-wife still be his caretaker.
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thanks for posting that. Hopefully the story gets picked up by UPI/AP and gets national play.
<< <i>That's great. And he has Hell to look forward to.
But the big surprise to me is Pihos-Howell. Pihos must be one heck of a guy to have his ex-wife still be his caretaker. >>
Pihos-Howell must be one heck of a woman to take care of her ex-husband! I wouldn't want to be in either situation.
Taking care of family and loved ones is one of the most important things in life (IMO). You have to watch out for each other.
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To Mr. Pihos and Mrs. Pihos-Howell, best wishes and thank you.
Sorry fellow board members, this one struck a cord with me.
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Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.