New Mexico man admits stealing letters by wife of Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell and other items from Montana Historical Society

GREAT FALLS — A New Mexico man accused of stealing 100-year-old items, including letters by the wife of Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell, from the Montana Historical Society and selling them for a profit on eBay admitted today to a theft crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Brian Anthony D’Ambrosio, 49, of Sante Fe, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to theft of major artwork. D’Ambrosio faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 13. D’Ambrosio’s release was continued pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that D’Ambrosio, while claiming to conduct research at the Montana Historical Society, a museum located in Helena, stole items from the archives from about April 2022 to September 2023. The stolen items included letters written by Nancy Russell, the wife of renowned Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell. The stolen items were more than 100 years old, were of cultural heritage and exceeded $5,000 in value. D’Ambrosio then sold and attempted to sell the stolen items for profit on eBay. An undercover FBI agent posed as a would-be purchaser to confirm D’Ambrosio was the individual stealing the items from the Montana Historical Society and selling or attempting to sell the items on eBay for a profit, none of which was authorized.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation.

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