The Hartford Courant: “A state judge sentenced E. Forbes Smiley III, the Martha’s Vineyard map thief, to the maximum five years in prison Friday, a move that was largely symbolic and unlikely to add time to the 3½-year sentence Smiley has received in federal court.”

This sentence is for the three state charges of larceny in addition to the federal charge for which he was sentenced last month. Smiley will serve his state time concurrently with his federal time, but will be eligible for parole sooner, so his overall sentence is unchanged — i.e., he’ll be in jail for at least three years.

The state judge was none too happy with the federal prosecution for rewarding Smiley’s cooperation: “Judge Richard Damiani faulted the federal government for taking what Smiley told them as ‘gospel truth,’ joining the chorus of voices expressing disappointment in the investigation. ‘The problem is they’re taking the word of a thief,’ he said.”

Smiley’s state sentencing was originally supposed to take place on the same day as his federal sentencing — on September 27 — but it was pushed back.

For Smiley’s federal sentencing and the fallout from that, see the following previous entries: Breaking News: Smiley Sentenced to 3½ Years; Connecticut Public Radio on Forbes Smiley Sentence; Antiques and the Arts Online on Smiley’s Sentencing; Hartford Courant: String Him Up! The Map Thefts category archive has entries on Smiley’s arrest, subsequent investigation and all the other stuff.

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