Snohomish County Journal -- Release Of Arts Dealer Ordered

Release of arts dealer ordered: Snohomish arts dealer Frank Joseph Stegmeier, 53, was ordered released from custody yesterday and placed under electronic surveillance pending a grand-jury investigation into charges he smuggled artifacts from Mexico and tried to sell them to an undercover agent.

Stegmeier, who previously had served a prison term for embezzlement, "immediately jumped back into a variety of fraudulent and embezzlement schemes" after his release, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Bartlett alleged.

He tried to convince Magistrate-Judge John Weinberg that Stegmeier had enough money and documents to establish a false identity if he was freed.

But Stegmeier's attorney, Irwin Schwartz, said Stegmeier owns two houses in the area, has family ties here and made all his court appearances in the 1980 embezzlement case. Weinberg ruled Stegmeier will forfeit his property if he fails to appear at future hearings.

Stegmeier, owner of Ancient Trade, allegedly tried to sell a Mixtec Indian conch shell and a human skull to an undercover U.S. Customs agent in September for $160,000. Federal prosecutors now have 30 days to obtain a grand-jury indictment or let Stegmeier go.