SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Harpreet Singh stood before a judge Wednesday, more than a year after he was arrested at gunpoint on the roof of a Scottsdale art gallery.
He told police when he was arrested that he was homeless. He said he had crawled up on the roof to sleep. He denied breaking into the American Fine Art gallery, and denied stealing any art.
His story quickly fell apart.
Police found burglary tools on the roof and $250,000 in fine art scattered nearby, including what police said were works by famous artists Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. The high-profile theft made national headlines. He was indicted last year on several felony charges, including theft.
Then, while out on bond last year, prosecutors say he cut off his electronic ankle monitor and ran away to Las Vegas. He was re-arrested at a luxury hotel and sent back to Arizona. He’s been in a Maricopa County jail ever since.
“All right, sir, is there anything you would like to tell me?” Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Max Covil asked on Wednesday before imposing his sentence.
“I think my lawyer covered everything, your honor,” the 33-year-old Singh replied quietly.
He was sentenced to five years in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to one count felony theft. The plea agreement means he avoids trial, where he faced about a decade in prison if convicted by a jury. He’ll receive credit for 433 days already served in jail.
He also pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with an electronic monitoring device. Once released, he will serve 3.5 years of supervised probation for that crime.
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His attorney, Julio Laboy, told ABC15 in an interview after court that Singh is taking responsibility for his actions.
“He’s not some mastermind who goes around being able to move pieces like Picasso and Andy Warhol on the black market,” Laboy said. “He suffers from mental health and substance addiction.”
Singh’s legal troubles don’t end with this case. He’s also accused of taking two Andy Warhols from an art gallery in West Hollywood and trying to resell one of those to an art gallery only a mile away. He’s pleaded not guilty to that theft.
Laboy said he can’t speak specifically to the California charges because he’s not the attorney in that case. He said at some point Singh will be transported to California to face those charges.
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