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June 3, 2011

The Changing Face of White Collar Crime - Lengthy Sentence in Identity Theft Case in Colorado

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On June 3, 2011 - a women from Lakewood Colorado learned today she would be sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in an Identity Theft Ring.

She eceived the 20-year prison sentence for taking part in the theft of more than $100,000,00

Teresa Marie Porter was the leader of the identity theft ring. The invesitgation shouwed that the ring was in the metro area from October 2009 through August.

Sometimes in large scale corruption cases the DA will use a grand jury indicted to iindict - (to charge) - the case. The grand jury has the power to subpoena witnesses and conduct an invesitgation at the direction of the DA. That was done in this case by the Jefferson County Grand Jury.

The Defendant was originally charged 82 felony counts including racketeering, identity theft, theft, criminal impersonation and providing false information to a pawnbroker.

District Court Judge Phil McNulty sentenced Porter to a total of 20 years in prison - (the DA had " capped" the sentence at 48 years.)

H. Michael's Take

In recent years = there has been a dramatic increase in this tyupe of Colorado Identyty theft. The sentences in these case -- because of the imp[act they have on the average citizen - have become increasingly harsh and swift.

This kind of organized "ring" will use stolen personal and financial information, including Social Security numbers, to open credit accounts in jewelry stores. They then can, and in this case, did purchase thousands of dollars of high-end pieces on credit, pawning the property for cash.

The firm of Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer - H. Michael Steinberg has extensive experience in all categories of Colorado White Collar and Identity Theft Criminal defense

If you've been contacted by the police, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call us at 303-627-7777.

Posted by H. Michael Steinberg | | Email This Post

August 10, 2010

Diaper man pleads guilty to fraud

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This goes under the "I thought I had seen it all" category...H

VIERA (Florida) -- A 40-year-old man who tricked caregivers into changing his diapers by pretending he had the emotional maturity of a 5-year-old apologized to a victim in court Monday before pleading guilty to charges of organized fraud.

Authorities said Sean Kelly of Port St. John told caregivers he was incontinent and hired two women to change his diapers in 2008 and 2009 but did not pay them the amount he promised.

He was officially charged with two counts of organized fraud of less than $20,000 by the Brevard State Attorney's office in February. Kelly, 40, was sentenced to a year of house arrest and four years of probation Monday. Judge Robert Wohn also ordered a psychological evaluation of Kelly.

"An apology might not be enough," Kelly told a victim in court. But ". . . for my part, I apologize."

Minutes earlier, the care giver had tearfully described how she changed Kelly's diaper and fed and bathed him."I have to live with this for the rest of my life, this shame," she said.

Prosecutor Don Loughran said Kelly likely had other victims. "I think they are too embarrassed to come forward," he said. "What this man did was despicable."

According to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Kelly sometimes would hire women through postings on Craigslist.org. He would call them pretending to be the brother of the disabled man who needed care. Kelly would then show up and pretend to be the man with the disability. The ruse was exposed when a caregiver's husband saw him get into a car and drive off.

Lt. Tod Goodyear, who heads the sex crimes unit of the sheriff's office, said he believed Kelly had a fetish where adults want to be fed from bottles and wear diapers.

"Online, we have found, there are groups that cater to this kind of fetish," Goodyear said.
Contact Basu at 242-3724 or kbasu@floridatoday.com.

Posted by H. Michael Steinberg | | Email This Post

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