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Man guilty of possessing stolen paintings

BOSTON --A retired Massachusetts lawyer has been found guilty of possessing six valuable paintings that had been stolen from a Berkshires home in 1978.

Robert Mardirosian (mar-di-ROZ'-ee-an) of Falmouth was found guilty by a federal jury in Boston on Monday.

The 74-year-old faces a maximum of 10 years in prison at sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 18. He said outside court that he plans to appeal.

Prosecutors say a former client of Mardirosian's stole the paintings from a Stockbridge house in 1978. They say the client also stole a still life by Paul Cezanne valued at more than $29 million, but Mardirosian returned that painting in 1999.

The statute of limitations had expired to charge him with possessing the Cezanne. 

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