Rare Book Monthly

Articles - April - 2019 Issue

Jail Time Assessed for Theft of Mormon Books and Photographs from Utah Library

Kevin Schuwer from his days with the BYU Singers.

Kevin Schuwer from his days with the BYU Singers.

Kevin Mark Ronald Schuwer has been sentenced to four months in jail for the theft of eight books and a photograph from the Brigham Young University Library. The prosecutor felt that Schuwer deserved more time than that, but this is what was called for by the sentencing guidelines. Schuwer had a "clean" record, though other charges are still pending for thefts from the Utah State University Library and the Daughters of the Pioneers Library, all in Utah and involving Mormon-related books are artifacts. The sentence is actually for five years, but all but 120 days were suspended, providing Schuwer stays on the straight and narrow in the future. Since he had been in custody the past 90 days at the time of sentencing, only 30 days of incarceration were still remaining.

 

According to the charges, Schuwer "borrowed" the eight books from the Brigham Young library, then transferred their bar codes to other books which he "returned." As for the photograph, that of Porter Rockwell, a bodyguard of church founder Joseph Smith, he substituted a copy for the original. The books were valued at $300 each, the photograph a few thousand.

 

It was the theft at the Utah State University Library that got the most attention. The reason is that it was all captured on film. As the security cameras roll, Schuwer is seen examining a photograph of early Mormon apostle Orson F. Whitney in the library. He manipulates a storage box containing photographs in a manner that appears to be an effort to obstruct its view from passers-by. He looks as if he is going to put the photo back in its protective envelope, but then he slides it under the envelope and into his laptop case next to him. He then puts the empty envelope back in the pile of photographs, and later leaves the library.

 

That evening, Schuwer contacted a potential customer to offer him the Whitney image. When that customer became concerned about its history, Schuwer sold it to a second customer for $1,500. However, the first customer contacted an expert in early Mormon artifacts, who in turn contacted the Utah State University Library, which checked its collection and discovered the photograph was missing.

 

Still, the largest financial claim against Schuwer is one for which he is not being charged. On the day he was being arrested by Brigham Young University police, he had a "judgment by confession" entered in a civil suit by a collector with whom he had worked. That collector had charged Schuwer with selling him counterfeit books and artifacts, and selling some items on his behalf but failing to make payment. That judgment amounted to almost $700,000.

 

It is not clear how the other cases will turn out. Though his wife and two children are U.S. citizens, Schuwer comes from Denmark by way of Canada. On release, Schuwer is to be turned over to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) for possible deportation.

Rare Book Monthly

  • High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Ellis Smith Prints unsigned. 20” by 16”.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: United typothetae of America presidents. Pictures of 37 UTA presidents 46th annual convention United typothetae of America Cincinnati 1932.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec signed Paper Impressionism Art Prints. MayMilton 9 1/2” by 13” Reine de Joie 9 1/2” by 13”.
    High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Aberle’ Ballet editions. 108th triumph, American season spring and summer 1944.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Puss ‘n Boots. 1994 Charles Perrult All four are signed by Andreas Deja
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Specimen book of type faces. Job composition department, Philadelphia gazette publishing company .
    High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: An exhibit of printed books, Bridwell library.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur Court By Mark Twain 1889.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 1963 Philadelphia Eagles official program.
    High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 8 - Esquire the magazine for men 1954.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: The American printer, July 1910.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Leaves of grass 1855 by Walt Whitman.
  • Sotheby's
    Fine Books, Manuscripts & More
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: William Shakespeare.
    The Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare, 1960. 7,210 USD
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens.
    A Christmas Carol, First Edition, 1843. 17,500 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Golding.
    Lord of the Flies, First Edition, 1954. 5,400 USD
    Sotheby's
    Fine Books, Manuscripts & More
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Lewis Carroll.
    Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, Inscribed First Edition, 1872. 25,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien.
    The Hobbit, First Edition, 1937. 12,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: John Milton.
    Paradise Lost, 1759. 5,400 USD

Article Search

Archived Articles

Ask Questions