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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Friday, December 21, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Yellowstone NP Conviction For Wire Fraud And Theft On August 30th, an Old Faithful resident reported that her wallet had been lost and possibly stolen. The next day, she discovered activity on her credit cards, including an order for a mountain bike costing $1,118. Rangers began an investigation and subsequently tracked the order down to a bike shop in Pennsylvania. They were able to stop the order, then followed a series of leads to a concession employee - J.P., 28 - residing at Old Faithful. NPS special agents obtained a search warrant for his house and executed it on September 10th. They found evidence within of the original wire and credit card fraud and evidence of the use of stolen credit cards. Based on this evidence and their investigation, agents filed a criminal complaint and secured a felony arrest warrant on a misdemeanor and two felony counts (18 USC violations pertaining to wire fraud, use of a stolen credit card and possession of stolen property). During the investigation, J.P. fled from the park. An arrest warrant was entered into NCIC and he was tracked to Salt Lake City. An Old Faithful ranger was able to obtain a photo of his residence there, and agents provided leads to Salt Lake City police. On December 2nd, city officers found and arrested J.P. near his residence on the Yellowstone warrant. Federal marshals took him into custody. Following an initial appearance before the US magistrate in Salt Lake City, he was ordered detained and removed to the Wyoming judicial district. On December 18th, J.P. appeared before the magistrate at Yellowstone. In a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office, he entered a guilty plea to one 18 USC count of possession of stolen property and the remaining two counts were dismissed. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, ordered to pay $1,000 in fines and a $25 victim fund assessment, and placed on five years' probation. [Brian Smith, Special Agent in Charge, Intermountain Region] OTHER NEWS The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS (internal) or NPS Digest (external): Office of the Chief Information Officer - Happy Holidays to all from the Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishers of InsideNPS. Due to President Bush's executive order providing Monday off to federal employees, the next edition will not be until Wednesday, the day after Christmas. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6091" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6091 Andersonville NHS - What on earth could a pickle Christmas ornament and a Civil War prison camp have in common? A growing tradition of hiding a pickle ornament among the green boughs of a Christmas tree reputedly began at the infamous prison camp. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6092" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6092 WASO Public Affairs - The National Park System Advisory Board has five new members and a new chairman in William F. Baker, PhD, polar explorer, author, filmmaker and current CEO of Thirteen/WNET, public television in New York City. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PressReleases&id=777" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PressReleases&id=777 Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by both the NPS and its partners across the nation. New in today's listing are an announcement for the FY 2007-2008 facility manager leaders program and an ocean education workshop in Boston in March. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=775" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=775 Events Calendar - Today's listing of upcoming NPS and NPS-related events across the nation. New on this week's calendar is an early announcement for a big alumni reunion at Great Smokies during its 75th anniversary in 2009. HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=776" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=776 * * * * * Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-686-3828). --- ### --- |