Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A dream to open a Wild West museum led the former mayor of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to spend millions in public funds to buy artifacts.

But the museum never got built and now he’s about to face trial on charges of receiving stolen property.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the criminal case against Stephen Reed.

Investigators say they recovered some 1,800 artifacts, many from his home, and jurors will hear about dozens of them.

The items at issue in the trial include stagecoach equipment, saddles, a dice game known as chuck-a-luck, copies of the Tombstone Epitaph newspaper, knives and several guns.

Reed’s lawyer says he didn’t steal anything and was in fact in lawful possession of the items.