Journalist Gets Tsk-Tsk for Computer Crime

(Clark County, Washington) A 54-year-old veteran reporter for The Columbian, Don Hamilton, was accused of attempting to access an ambulance's computer and, subsequently, pleaded guilty before Clark County District Court Judge Rich Melnick to misdemeanor attempted computer trespass in the first degree.

On July 18, Hamilton was covering a SWAT standoff in which a Vancouver police officer had been shot. Hamilton went to Southwest Washington Medical Center, where he found the ambulance that had transported the wounded officer.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jim David said Hamilton got in the vehicle and looked at its computer screen to try to ascertain the name of the officer or any other information regarding the standoff.

Melnick questioned whether an ambulance employee showed Hamilton how to use the computer.

"I'm curious how he was able to do it," Melnick said.

Defense attorney Steve Thayer said that has been a point of contention.

Thayer said an American Medical Response employee let Hamilton look at the computer. The state, however, would have called witnesses at trial to testify nobody gave Hamilton permission or showed him how to use the computer, Thayer said.

Rather than go to trial on what would have been a felony computer trespass charge, Hamilton opted to take advantage of an offer to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, Thayer said.

Judge Melnick sentenced Hamilton to five days of community service and $347 in fines and fees.

Goat Sex Scandal

(Dibble, Oklahoma) A local woman, Carol Mendenhall, has been fined because her pet goats were observed mating in her back yard. The law makes it illegal for animals to have sex within city limits.

South of Oklahoma City and eight miles due west of Woody Chapel, Dibble is a small community of about 200 people.

Teen Indicted for Child Rape

(Warren County, Tennessee) An 18-year-old local female, Katie D. Fults, has been accused of engaging in sex with a 12-year-old boy. The episode allegedly occurred earlier this year in a room full of sleeping children.

Last week, Fults was indicted by a Warren County grand jury on a charge of child rape.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

WWI Vet Dies, Only Two Remain

(North Baltimore, Ohio) According to the Veterans Affairs Department, one of the three known remaining U.S. veterans of World War I has died.

J. Russell Coffey enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 1918, a month before the Allied powers and Germany signed a cease-fire agreement. Coffey died yesterday at the age of 109 according to the Smith-Crates Funeral Home in North Baltimore. Funeral services are tomorrow.

Only two known surviving American soldiers of WWI remain, Frank Buckles of West Virginia and Harry Landis of Florida.

Rest in peace, soldier.

Illegal Document Operation Busted in Florida

(Hillsborough County, Florida) The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Attorney's Office announced the arrests of 18 people involved in an illegal document production and distribution operation.

The illegal document operation was run out of auto sales and title companies and seven additional suspects who worked for the companies have been indicted.

The companies involved included Inter Car and Truck Sales, Jimaguas Auto Sales, April Lopez Title Co. and Julia Garcia Title Co., all of which operated openly, even boldly advertising their document services.

"Do you need to obtain a tag or title for your car or truck?" one flier said. "We can do it with a license from Mexico or any other country, a voter's registration, a consulate ID, an international DL, or any official ID."

The businesses weren't lying. Investigators learned they gave undocumented immigrants fake driver's licenses, Social Security cards, insurance cards or other licenses, which the companies handed to the Hillsborough County Tax Collector's Office in exchange for authentic titles and vehicle registrations.

The suspects have been charged with a laundry list of offenses including producing fraudulent vehicle identification numbers, applications, certificates and papers; uttering a forced instrument; false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance application; fraud and misuse of documents, visa or other permits; fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents or Social Security cards.

And the Tax Collector's Office couldn't be blamed, detectives found, because state guidelines limit clerks from checking IDs - exposing a loophole the sheriff says only legislation can fix.

Since the Tax Collector's Office doesn't have the capabilities, nor the apparent authority, to check the authenticity of identification documents presented, the is no administrative mechanism to stop the scammers. The Tax Collector's Office employees are forced to accept any bogus piece of paper put in front of them.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said a legislative fix is needed.

Sailors Get Bowl Tickets

(San Diego, California) Tonight's Poinsettia Bowl (9PM EST) will have a handsome contingent of United States Naval personnel rooting for the good guys.

When the Naval Academy Midshipmen take on the Utah Utes in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on Thursday, there'll be a sizable Navy crowd in the house, thanks to a retired admiral who wanted to be sure the Mids had a cheering section away from home.

Retired Rear Adm. Kenneth Slaght, now vice president and general manager of maritime systems for defense contractor General Dynamics Information Technology, arranged for his company to buy tickets to the game for 1,300 sailors from the San Diego-based carriers Ronald Reagan and Nimitz.

Kudos to Rear Adm. Slaght and "Go Navy!"

By the way, the Midshipmen (8-4) are eight and one-half point underdogs to the Utes (8-4).

Fatality From Live Round in Dummy Ammo

It's heartbreaking when preventable accidents cause a young American soldier to die. In the following case, there was improper control of the ammunition prior to a training exercise and a violation of muzzle awareness principles.

From Army Times:

Pvt. Daniel Patrick Fisher, of Bassett, Va., died Oct. 4 when a machine gun accidentally discharged and struck him in the abdomen on the Army post's East Range.

The training was intended to teach new soldiers in basic training how to load and unload the weapon using only dummy ammunition. Live rounds weren't supposed to be involved.

Maj. Gen. Peter M. Vangjel, commanding general of the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill, said trainees unknowingly loaded into the weapon a live .50-caliber round that had inadvertently become mixed with dummy ammunition.

Administrative and disciplinary actions were taken to preclude recurrence.

Condolences to the family and friends of Pvt. Fisher.

Boiling Oil Murder Case Again Delayed

(Bay St. Louis, Mississippi) In August 2006, a local woman, Edna Mae Sanders, was arrested for the gruesome scalding murder of her husband, Sherman Sanders, 53.

Edna Mae allegedly poured boiling oil on Sherman as he slept on July 28th, 2006. Sherman died in the hospital about a week afterward from 2nd and 3rd-degree burns. Just before he died, Sherman reportedly fingered his wife in the crime.

The murder case against Edna Mae was scheduled to be tried in August but was delayed until December at the request of defense attorney Brian Alexander.

But now there is a new development as Hancock County Circuit Court Judge Roger Clark granted an additional delay until February 2008.

Meanwhile, Edna Mae Sanders, 47, is free on $200,000 bond.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy

Woman Accused of Killing Pomeranian

(Farmington, New York) A 29-year-old Rochester woman, Caryn A. Consilio, was arrested last Sunday for allegedly breaking in to her estranged husband's residence and killing his Pomeranian.

Consilio is also accused of stealing a laptop and checks and causing extensive damage to the residence. She was charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree aggravated cruelty to animals and fourth-degree grand larceny.

Consilio was booked into custody at the Ontario County Jail with bail set at $25,000.

The incident probably would have been handled as a simple domestic squabble until she killed the dog. As Michael Vick would likely confirm, that's a no-no.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy

Britain's Music Police

(Norfolk, England) The Brits are very strict about protecting the creative property rights of musical artists.

Under the law, playing music outside the home constitutes a public performance and two separate licences are needed: one to PRS [Performing Right Society] to cover copyright in the music and lyrics, and the other to Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) to cover the actual sound recording.

In a statement, PRS stressed that it was a not-for-profit organisation acting on behalf of its 50,000 musician members.

"By buying a PRS music licence you have access to 10 million pieces of music and at a competitive rate. The money from PRS music licences goes directly to writers and composers, the people who created the music. A PRS music licence can cost as little as 34p a day.

"PRS will take all reasonable steps to ensure those playing copyright music in public are made aware of the need for a licence. We regularly contact businesses to help ensure they are not infringing copyright.

"Failure to obtain a licence for the use of music in public may result in civil action against businesses for copyright infringement and they may be liable to pay damages and costs."

So, it appears that when you take your radio to the park or the beach, be sure to carry two licenses or you may be cited by the music police.

Teacher Meredith Kane Gets Prison

(Lawrence, Kansas) In March 2007, a 24-year-old first-year teacher at Lawrence High School, Meredith L. Kane, was arrested for engaging in sex with a 15-year-old male student.

In July 2007, Kane pleaded guilty before Douglas County District Court Judge Stephen Six to one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a student in accordance with a plea agreement where one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and two counts of sodomy were dropped.

In August 2007, while awaiting sentencing Kane violates her bail conditions and is put in jail.

Yesterday, Judge Stephen Six sentenced Kane to 59 months in prison and ordered her to register as a sex offender.

Defense attorney James Rumsey asked that Kane be given probation so she could be treated for bipolar disorder and because Kane's victim didn't want her in prison. Judge Six denied the request, holding Kane responsible for her actions.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

South Carolina's Multiple Choice Homeless Census

(Columbia, South Carolina) The Midlands Area Consortium for the Homeless issued a census report on the number of homeless in South Carolina (6,759) which includes 1,091 total in Richland and Lexington Counties.

However, if you don't like those numbers, there's this:

But, illustrating the confusing nature of the numbers, they are based on a broader definition of homeless than the federal government's. "Therefore, this report does not offer an exact count of individuals who are homeless -- instead it provides multiple estimates," the report says.

So, instead of relying upon a nationally-recognized definition of "homeless," South Carolina census takers made up their own and then blamed "multiple estimates" on "the confusing nature of the numbers."

I'm fairly convinced that a count of heads using one definition would produce only one result. Furthermore, the validity of any census must be questioned when a variety of results are achieved.

Woman Caught in the Act with Boy

(West Manheim Township, Pennsylvania) A 37-year-old Maryland woman, Patricia J. Gamber, faces charges after being caught in flagrante delicto having sex with a 15-year-old boy at 2AM last Friday.

Police found the two without clothes in the rear hatch area of Gamber's Jeep. Gamber reportedly admitted to the sex.

Gamber is charged with statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with a minor and trespassing.

Gamber and the boy are co-workers at a restaurant, Wildasin said.

The alleged sexual assault happened in a parking lot off of Grand Valley Road, which is closed to the public from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Gamber allegedly told police that she was going through a divorce and "didn't know what she was doing," according to court documents.

Gamber faces a preliminary hearing on December 24th.


[Update 02/12/08]

From Evening Sun:

Patricia Jean Gamber, 38, of New Windsor waived her right to a preliminary hearing Monday before Magisterial District Judge James Miner on charges of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with a minor and trespassing.

The charges were forwarded to York County court as a result.

Heh.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 1/09/09]

Gamber guilty. Sentencing in February.

Homeless Given Computers

(Rockville, Maryland) The Montgomery County Students Information Technology Foundation, Inc. Network Operations group has given revamped computers to homeless men at the Chase Partnership House Men's Shelter.

The gift was announced, apparently with some flair, at the Computer Lab Gifting Ceremony on November 29th at the Thomas Edison High School in Silver Spring.

According to the Director of Volunteer Services of Community Ministries, Karen Napolitano, the homeless men ...

"... will utilize these computers as an opportunity to explore job resources, computer skills, keyboarding skills, and online instruction."

Hey, what a great idea! Homeless men with computers accessing the Internet couldn't possibly have a downside.

Brit Airways Suspends Steward for Eating Muffin

(London) Heavy-handed is an understatement regarding this report. More appropriate would be gross mismanagement.

British Airways have suspended a cabin crew steward for eating a muffin that was discarded on a passenger's meal tray, it was reported today.

BA are treating the incident as theft after he was reported at Heathrow airport on Monday.

The man's collegues are furious with the decision, branding the airline 'heavy handed' and accused them of acting like a 'police state'.

One BA worker told The Sun: "The cabin crew member on a long-haul flight took a muffin destined for the bin.

"Now his career hangs in the balance. Everyone is up in arms - it is a disgusting way to treat a member of staff."

One must wonder who would report the alleged "theft." Is it possible that British Airways has a Gestapo-like spy observing employees during work hours?

Nevertheless, there is disagreement regarding the situation with British Airways denying that it occurred even though a spokesman for the company confirmed that it had.

Arguably, BA managers are recognized as sticklers and it's not unheard of for flight attendants to fancy other people's muffins, so I lean toward believing the story as reported.

Class Project Teaches How to Illegally Immigrate

(Columbus, Ohio) For the fifth straight year, a high school Spanish teacher has assigned her students a three-week project to devise a workable plan for a Latino to sneak into the U.S., plus find shelter and food to survive.

From Columbus Dispatch:

Try it legally, Erica Vieyra told her 40 senior Spanish students at Olentangy Liberty High School. Fill out the correct documents, follow the proper steps. And then, after they spent days completing the actual paperwork from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, she took out her red ink pad and stamped a big, fat DENIED across every request.

Now, she told the students, come illegally. Forge your documents, find a way across the border. Then, research real ads and find a place to live in Columbus. Figure out what it would cost, how to get food. Plan how to survive.

The students had to go to real businesses and ask for Spanish-language job applications. They had to visit a bank and ask for new-account documents written in Spanish.

Vieyra promised them that the process -- even in make-believe -- would frustrate them. But they would gain, she hoped, an understanding of what is one of the most important political and humanitarian issues facing the U.S. government today.

Kind of one-sided, I'd say. After all, instead of having the students simulate being generic, non-descript Latinos, Vieyra could have them pretend to be MS-13 gang members sneaking into the U.S. to develop crime networks.

Alternatively, Vieyra could have the students imagine themselves as intelligence operatives for Venezuelan marxist thug Hugo Chavez, charged with infiltrating the U.S. government to conduct espionage.

However, it's not to be. Vieyra's teaching of the Spanish language has taken a back seat to propagandizing the students with her leftist political beliefs. She cautions, though, that she's not trying to influence the students, rather just teach them "a little empathy."

As such, I'd recommend renaming the course from "Spanish V" to "Empathy for Illegal Aliens in the U.S."

Tipped by a very unhappy Olentangy Schools taxpayer.

No Statute of Limitations on Murder

(Lake County, Indiana) Here's a good news report from northwest Indiana.

A 40-ish man, David Bowen, has been arrested for the brutal murder of an 8-year-old boy in 1979.

Cold case detectives for the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Gary Police have linked Bowen to the murder using DNA evidence, technology that wasn't available in 1979.

Kudos to the investigators. Details at the link.

Teachers Sentenced in Student Prostitution Ring

(Guizhou Province, China) A middle school teacher, Chi Yao, has been sentenced to death and another teacher, Hai Long, received 11 years in prison for their roles in a sickening prostitution ring involving young teen girls. The teachers' wives, Zhao Qingmei and Li Huiyan, operated the ring and one of them was also sentenced to death.

Reportedly, the ring forced 23 girls, six being younger than 14, to have sex with men during the period from March to June 2006. More than 20 young girls were given to men seeking virgins and 22 of the girls were local primary or middle school students.

From Shanghai Daily:

Zhao Qingmei, 28, the mastermind, was sentenced to death in Weining County last Friday, the report said. She sold snack food on campus after working as a temporary teacher at the Central Primary School in Xinfa township of Weining, the report said. Her husband Chi Yao was a teacher at the township's middle school.

In March 2006, Zhao planned with a local woman identified as Wei Yaqin, who is still on the run, how to earn money by forcing teenage girls into prostitution.

Interestingly, Zhao's husband, Chi Yao, was also sentenced to death but with two years' probation. However that works?

Fourteen other people were also prosecuted for their involvement in the ring and received prison sentences from one year to life. Many were hostel owners.

Companion post at Education Watch International.

Police: Woman on Crutches Gropes St. Nick, Ho-Ho-Ho!

(Danbury, Connecticut) Reportedly on crutches, a 33-year-old local woman, Sandrama Lamy, has been accused of sitting on a mall Santa Claus' lap and groping him. According to Danbury Police Detective Lt. Thomas Michael, the mall security officer reported that "Santa Claus has been sexually assaulted."

Police quickly found and identified Lamy because the woman was described as being on crutches, said Capt. Bob Myles.

A call seeking comment from Lamy was answered by a recording Tuesday morning. A woman later called back and said: "It's a false report and I don't have any idea."

Police did not give the name of the disconcerted Santa, but they said he is 65 and felt badly because children were waiting to see him. "He was apparently shocked and embarrassed by the whole incident," Myles said.

For allegedly groping the 65-year-old Santa, Lamy was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and breach of the peace.

Two things: I think it's strange that a 33-year-old woman would want to sit on Santa's lap under any circumstance and I think it's even stranger that a 65-year-old man complained when a 33-year-old woman jingled his bells.

Tip: slwlion and Travis Evans

Alabama Teacher Nabbed for Drugs

(Shelby, Alabama) A second-grade teacher at Shelby Elementary School, Stacey Robinson Weir, was arrested a week ago last Saturday by Pelham Police for allegedly possessing drugs.

Weir was charged with unlawful possession/receiving of a controlled substance. The specific drug(s) involved was not disclosed.

Weir was hired by the Shelby County School system last August. School spokesperson Cindy Warner stated that there will be no official comment until the case is adjudicated.

She was booked into custody at the Shelby County Jail and subsequently released on $5,000 bond.