[MSN] Cosmosphere Case. Former astronauts want a judge to be lenient in sentencing the former head of the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Museum for stealing artifacts.

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Cosmosphere Case 

Former astronauts want a judge to be lenient in sentencing the former head
of the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Museum for stealing artifacts.
Max Ary goes before U-S District Judge Thomas Marten on Monday to be
sentenced on a dozen counts, including theft of government property, fraud
and money laundering.
Several ex-astronauts have written to the judge saying Ary preserved the
history of the U-S space program with ``utmost integrity and dedication.''
Some of those astronauts have also helped raise money for Ary's defense.
Ary co-founded the Hutchinson space museum and served as director for 26
years. He left in 2002 and later became executive director of the Oklahoma
City Omniplex.
The federal case charged him with profiting from the sale of items belonging
to NASA or the Cosmosphere.
Ary said the artifacts became mixed accidentally with items in his personal
collection.

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