Thief of Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers Sentenced to Time Served Due to Terminal Illness

Terry Martin, persuaded by an old mob associate to steal the slippers, is ordered to pay $23,500 in restitution to the Judy Garland Museum.

Terry Martin, the man who stole the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005, has been sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release, with no additional jail time due to his terminal illness.
Martin was persuaded to steal the slippers by an old mob associate who mistakenly believed the slippers contained real rubies that could be sold.
The slippers were recovered in 2018 by the FBI in a sting operation after being lost for 13 years.
Martin was ordered to pay $23,500 in restitution to the museum, to be paid in monthly installments of $300 until his death.
The theft of the slippers has reportedly cost the Judy Garland Museum a significant amount of credibility and has negatively impacted its ability to borrow other objects connected with Garland and the movie, as well as hurting attendance.