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Posts Tagged ‘investigation’
Tuesday, February 21st, 2012
Everyone is familiar with party crashers, but have you ever heard of anyone crashing high school sporting events just to get a piggyback ride?
A stocky man shows up in a basketball uniform for a game at Century High School in North Dakota. No one objects because the players and coaches assume he is a fan who had come with another team.
“He helped lay out uniforms, got water. He even gave a couple of kids shoulder massages. Creepy stuff like that,” said Jim Haussler - activities director for the Bismarck Public School District. Creepy is good word to describe this behavior, but it gets weirder.
When the game was over, the hefty man hung out with the winning team on the court and asked if he could get a piggyback ride. One player was caught off guard but gave him one.
“He makes himself appear as if he’s limited or handicapped. I think he plays an empathy card, so to speak,” Haussler said. “We didn’t realize what we were dealing with until several days later.”
They later learned that on that Feb. 4 evening, they had come in contact with the Piggyback Bandit. Sherwin Shayegan of Bothell, Wash., is a 28-year-old man who ingratiates himself with high school sports teams. He then hoists his hefty 5-foot-8, 240-pound frame onto the backs of the student athletes.
Shayegan’s strange acts reach back to 2008 and had been mainly confined to Washington and Oregon. Since last fall, he has taken his strange act east to Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota, leaving a trail of befuddled athletes in his wake.
Shayegan favors basketball games, but he also sprung himself onto hockey, soccer and football players. This guy either asks for piggyback rides, offers to pay for them or sometimes just springs himself onto some poor, unsuspecting player’s back.
Shayegan has also used the guise of pretending to interview athletes for a term paper, acting as a team manager or simply blending in with the group to get his piggyback thrills.
No one has been able to determine why he does these strange things or who coined the “Piggyback Bandit” nickname.
Shayegan, contacted on his cellphone Tuesday, politely declined to talk about the piggyback rides until he could talk to an attorney. “I’d prefer not to comment, if that’s OK,” he said.
Shayegan has a lengthy criminal rapsheet in Washington as well as nine outstanding warrants in one town in that state. His piggyback games caused him to be banned from high school sporting events in Washington, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.
In October, Shayegan was arrested in Helena, Mont., for jumping on two high school soccer players during a state tournament.
Mark Beckman, executive director of the Montana High School Sports Association said, “What’s disturbing to me is that he is jumping on our young athletes, he is 240 pounds, and he can hurt someone.”
Shayegan pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to two misdemeanor assault charges. He was fined $730, given a 360-day suspended prison sentence and told not to go to any more Montana high school events. “Go back to Seattle and behave,” Judge Bob Wood told him.
None of this stopped Shayegan. Three days later, he attended the Bismarck basketball game and received another piggyback ride. He also scored another piggyback ride from a hockey player after the game on that same day.
Surveillance video shows Shayegan dressed in a basketball uniform and hanging out with students in the hallway of the Century High School in North Dakota. This one-day spree caused him to be banned from sporting events by the North Dakota High School Activities Association.
Again, Shayegan was not deterred. He took his act to Minnesota that same week and appeared at three basketball games. He even attended one college game. At that Feb. 8 game, Shayegan sat near the St. Olaf bench. As in the Bismark game, everyone assumed he had come with the other team. (more…)
Tags: catch a thief, crime, investigation, police, video surveillance
Posted in "Hmm.", Crime News, Criminal Foolishness, Idiot, U-Spy Store | No Comments »
Friday, February 17th, 2012
This is a story about a corrupt law enforcement official and his accomplices. So many individuals were involved and there were several witnesses. How did this man think he would never be caught?
For those of you who were not born and raised in Texas, you may not be familiar with a constable. A Texas constable is a law enforcement officer who is elected by the county residents they serve. A constable and the constable’s deputies are the enforcement officers for the local Justice of the Peace. They are peace officers who have a lot of authority. The constable and deputy constables can make arrests, issue citations and are authorized to investigate any crime or traffic offense that happens in their presence or that a citizen reports to them.
Texas constable Fred Walker told the FBI he secretly bugged other official’s offices after they were accused of illegally forcing motorists to forfeit their cash, according to a search warrant affidavit.
Based on interviews conducted by FBI agents and Texas Rangers, the affidavit quotes the Shelby County Constable as saying he authorized the installation of hidden surveillance cameras and digital recorders despite not having the legal authority to do so.
The affidavit also includes a statement from a witness who claims Walker helped organize a scheme to sell drugs seized from suspects.
It’s just another chapter in a longtime drama in Tenaha, a town of 1,160 near the Louisiana border. Fred Walker,53, was Tenaha’s city marshal at the time of the alleged bugging. He was elected as constable in 2010.
Nearly $800,000 in cash has been seized from motorists stopped for traffic violations along U.S. Highway 59 in this town leading to lawsuits and a federal criminal investigation of the county’s former district attorney and other officials. (more…)
Tags: crime, eavesdropping, Electronic Countermeasures - Debugging, illegal hidden camera, illegal recording, investigation, police, spying, U-Spy Store
Posted in "Hmm.", busted, Crime News, Criminal Foolishness, eavesdropping, Electronic Countermeasures - Debugging, hard to find security equipment, hidden camera, U-Spy Store, U-Spy Surveillance Equipment | No Comments »
Monday, February 13th, 2012
Last night, I watched Dateline and learned of the Jon-Adrian Velazquez story. Today, his story had made the headlines.
Velazquez, 36, is serving a 25-to-life sentence for killing a retired cop during a botched robbery at an illegal gambling parlor. There was no physical or DNA evidence and Velazquez’s guilt rested largely on the identification of dubious eye-witnesses, one of whom has recanted.
Sadly, there are many stories like this one – innocent people serving time for crimes they did not commit. As one D.A. commented on last night’s program, once you are convicted, it is next to impossible to have that conviction overturned. Even when these cases are reviewed and it’s so obvious the system failed that person, the system does not devote its resources to correcting the wrong.
When Jon-Adrian heard the police wanted to talk to him about the killing of a retired police officer, Albert Ward, he knew there must be some mistake. He voluntarily went to the police station to clear up the confusion and he volunteered to participate in a police lineup. Velazquez was identified by witnesses and to this day is trying to clear up the confusion.
Police set their sights on Velazquez after one witness, Augustus Brown, identified him after spending hours going through 1,800 mugshots. Jon-Adrian was a family man attending school to become a computer programmer. In his younger days, he had been arrested on a minor drug charge. As a result, his picture was on record.
All of the witnesses said the man who killed the retired police officer was a black man with a light complexion and braids. This led police sketch artists to create a wanted poster. When you look at the picture, you can see that the suspect looks nothing like Velazquez. (more…)
Tags: crime, investigation, murder, police, wrongful conviction
Posted in "Hmm.", Crime News, National News, U-Spy Store | No Comments »
Monday, February 6th, 2012
Anonymous hackers posted a YouTube video of an embarrassing and sensitive conference call between the FBI and Scotland Yard in which investigators talk about their hacking suspects.
Ironically, this sensitive conference call between the FBI and Scotland Yard was recorded by the very people they are trying to catch – the hacking group known as Anonymous.
Anonymous released an almost 17-minute-long recording of what appears to be a Jan. 17 conference call dedicated to tracking and prosecuting members of the hacking group (video link included in story link below).
The FBI stated that the information “was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained.” Yet, the FBI states that none of its systems were breached. Really? Clearly systems were breached; otherwise, the group would not have been able to eavesdrop on the conference call. The FBI says it’s not entirely clear how the hackers got their hands on the recording.
Anonymous published an email they say was sent by an FBI agent which gave details and a password for accessing the call. Since Anonymous is pretty good at hacking into emails, I would say this is clearly how they got their “hands on the recording.”
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press that authorities were looking at the possibility that the message was intercepted after a private email account of one of the invited participants was compromised.
London police did confirm that one of its e-crimes specialist was on the intercepted conference call, but were quick to add that “at this stage no operational risks” to the police service had been identified.
I think the investigators should start using handles instead of their real names. The first set of callers used their first names and identified which cities were handling specific cases. (more…)
Tags: crime, eavesdropping, hacking, investigation, police, spying
Posted in "Hmm.", Crime News, eavesdropping, hacking, Online Security, Security, Technology, U-Spy Store | No Comments »
Friday, February 3rd, 2012
Two Atlanta teens apparently couldn’t find an available computer or an open Internet Cafe at 3:30 a.m. They desperately wanted to check their Facebook Pages. Well, the obvious solution came to mind – break into the CNN Headquarters. Surely they will have computers. Yea, that’s a good idea.
Last week, two teenagers were arrested on the fifth floor of the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. They had allegedly broken into the building and were in the process of checking their Facebook pages when they were caught.
Aldayne Fearon, 18, and Francis Mutemwa, 17 scaled a wall and gained access to CNN’s fifth floor newsroom. This occurred after they drove to the Omni Hotel in Mutemwa’s mother’s red Mercedes.
I am sure their parents won’t “like” this situation.
The two were discovered at approximately 3:30 a.m. Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said that officers from the Zone 5 precinct — which is also located in the CNN Center — were contacted by CNN security who reported there was ‘someone in their secure area newsroom.’
Jones, who said that the teens initially refused to give their names, but later identified themselves, confirmed that Mutemwa and Fearon were, indeed, engaged on the popular social media site. They were working on two computers which were not password protected. At the time of their arrest, they were checking their Facebook pages on those computers.
Each was charged with criminal trespassing.
I would have to assume that Facebook will close their accounts and the two will have to get by without getting their Facebook fixes.
Tags: busted, crime, criminal trespassing, investigation
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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Any university student who has ever purchased a used textbook knows that there are sometimes strange surprises hiding between those pages. Usually they come in the form of messy scribbles or perhaps even a forgotten piece of gum. In one case, a student got a big surprise! Her book came with a free bag of cocaine.
Sophia Stockton is a junior at Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas. She ordered a textbook from an independent retailer through the Amazon online storefront. The book was titled, “Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives and Issues.” It was for a spring course she was taking on terrorism.
When Stockton opened the book, a bag of white powder fell out. Well you can imagine Sophia’s concern. The powder in itself would have provoked concern, but the fact that it fell out of a book about terrorism made it all the more scary.
Stockton feared that the bag contained anthrax and took it to the local police department the next day. (more…)
Tags: illegal drugs, investigation, Terrorism
Posted in "Hmm.", National News, safety, U-Spy Store | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
In a search of several Mexican lawmakers’ offices, recording equipment was discovered. This has led legislators to believe they have been spied on for years, a congressman said Wednesday.
Security personnel found microphones and other devices that seemed to have been installed years ago, according to Congressman Armando Rios.
Rios, a member of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), said, “Some of the equipment has newer technology, but other devices are from a long time ago, which leads us to believe they were installed years ago.”
It was discovered that offices of key committees and several lawmakers from different political parties were bugged.
Congress president Guadalupe Acosta, also of the PRD, has filed a complaint with federal prosecutors, who have opened an investigation.
Rios has accused the government of President Felipe Calderon, who belongs to the conservative National Action Party (PAN). Interior Secretary Alejandro Poire denied Rios’ accusations. He said the government has done nothing illegal.
Acosta declined to identify the lawmakers who were being spied on or who he thinks was behind the espionage. (more…)
Tags: eavesdropping, Electronic Countermeasures - Debugging, espionage, investigation, spying, U-Spy Store
Posted in "Hmm.", busted, eavesdropping, Electronic Countermeasures - Debugging, hard to find security equipment, U-Spy Store, U-Spy Surveillance Equipment | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Attorneys for the plaintiff, Thaddeus “T.J.” Jimenez, say they believe the award made Tuesday is the largest ever by a U.S. jury in a wrongful conviction case.
“Sometimes the criminal justice system makes a mistake,” said Jon Loevy, one of Jimenez’s attorneys. “In this case, we proved that’s exactly what happened.”
Indeed the criminal justice system does make mistakes. Many people are behind bars for crimes they did not commit. I just watched a program where an imprisoned man could not get help through the regular channels. He hired a private investigator who eventually dug up the truth, which turned out to be a cover-up. The man was given another trial and he was found not guilty. He had spent about 20 years in prison.
Most wrongfully convicted people are not fortunate enough to be exonerated, let alone receive the type of reward Mr. Jimenez received. Of course, you can’t put a price tag on someone’s life. You can never give back what that person lost.
The jury, after sitting through a two-week trial at the Dirksen Federal Building, deliberated for about a day. Given how quickly the jury deliberated, the evidence must have been overwhelmingly in Jimenez’s favor. (more…)
Tags: chicago crime, investigation, murder, police, wrongful conviction
Posted in Crime News, Local News, National News, U-Spy Store | No Comments »
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
A Wisconsin man charged with domestic abuse told cops that a “ghost” was responsible for injuries suffered by his wife, according to police.
Michael West’s ridiculous story did not prevent police from arresting him for strangulation, battery, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.
Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute on Jan. 15, at the West residence in Fond du Lac, Wis. Police found West’s wife crying and bleeding from the nose. Drops of blood stained areas of the kitchen and her Packers’ jersey.
According to a criminal complaint, West and his spouse got into an argument on January 15th that turned violent. The victim told cops that West twice strangled her, and that he punched her in the face when she tried to dial 911. The woman told police her husband repeatedly punched her in the face and attempted to strangle her “to the point that [her] vision went black and [she] felt like she was going to pass out.”
Police said West appeared intoxicated and was yelling and swearing at the two officers who were questioning him. The man claimed his wife had fallen several times, injuring her face and neck.
When asked specifically about the marks on the woman’s neck, West said, in slurred speech, “A ghost did it.”
West resisted arrest, but was eventually handcuffed and taken into custody. His wife told police the fight began over the impending foreclosure on their home.
Sources: MSNBC and The Smoking Gun
Tags: domestic abuse, investigation, security, Violence
Posted in "Hmm.", Abuse, crime, hard to find security equipment, Home, Personal & Travel Security, safety, Security, U-Spy Store, U-Spy Surveillance Equipment | No Comments »
Friday, January 20th, 2012
This story definitely qualifies as a “News of the Weird” story. It sounds like a comedy act rather than something that someone would actually do.
A man apparently thought the threat of an infectious disease would be enough to get a cashier to cough up cash Monday night at a Sharon Internet sweepstakes cafe. “Give me the money or I’ll touch you” was essentially the threat.
Fred L. Parker, 41, was charged with robbery and making terrorist threats for walking into Lucky’s Internet Cafe and starting to touch the walls and machines, claiming he had a staph infection.
Police Chief Mike Menster said Parker then approached the cashier and demanded money. Parker told the clerk if he didn’t cooperate, he’d touch him and infect him with the antibiotic-resistant MRSA staph infection.
“It’s our first case of robbery by threat of an infectious disease,” Menster said. I am sure it is. I don’t even think some of the bigger cities with high crime rates have ever heard this one.
Parker also gave the cashier a note identifying himself as an “officer with the U.S. gambling commission,” Menster said.
Parker told the cashier he had a deadly and highly contagious disease and offered to walk away if the cashier gave him money, police said. The cashier refused to cough up the money and Parker uneventfully left the cafe.
Customers and the cashier gave police a detailed description of Parker and he was arrested without incident a short time later at Rite Aid. Maybe he was getting medicine for his symptoms. I doubt this guy has an infection, but if he doesn’t, he may be wishing he did. He might have a better chance of beating an infection than the charges he now faces.
Parker is being held in Mercer County Jail after failing to post bond. He is awaiting a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 1.
Read story@ sharonherald
Tags: attempted robbbery, crime, investigation, Terrorism
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