AG pursues scammers

COVER STORY
The Consumer Protection Sections Economic Crimes Division helps local law enforcement and prosecutors identify, investigate, and prosecute consumer fraud of a criminal nature.
For the past four years, Todd and Jessica Steinhaus of Coshocton posted thousands of Craigslist ads across the country advertising tickets to the World Series, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and concerts featuring Katy Perry, Kenny Chesney, and Usher. Their claims were false. But they were believable enough to dupe unsuspecting consumers in 36 states and Canada into sending money. The Steinhauses scammed consumers in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities out of more than $200,000. A cooperative investigation led by the Ohio Attorney Generals new Economic Crimes Division involved the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Brooklyn Heights and Mount Vernon police departments, and Coshocton County Sheriffs Office. In December, the pair pleaded guilty to four felonies. Todd Steinhaus was sentenced to six years in prison and his wife to four.
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Top Scams
4 Failure to deliver Scammers
advertise goods, services, or property online, but never deliver after receiving payment. offer jobs as Internet entrepreneurs or web-mall hosts, which require up-front fees. Secret shoppersare asked to cash a check and send part of the proceeds elsewhere to test another business customer service. In each case, job seekers get little or nothing and are out their cash.

4 Work from home offers Con artists

4 Payment fraud Individuals

legitimately selling goods or services online are contacted by a buyer who overpays with a fake check or credit card and asks to be reimbursed the difference. pose as friends or family members in need to convince their targets to wire money. arrange to do home improvements, sometimes even draft contracts, but do little or nothing after taking consumers money.

4 Grandparent scams Scammers

4 Contractor fraud Contractors

Every new DNA profile represents an opportunity to resolve cases that may have been pending for years, to bring criminals to justice, and to bring closure to victims. Thats what Senate Bill 77 is doing.
Attorney General Mike DeWine

New law helps solve cold cases

For Sgt. Michael Lang of the Englewood Police Department, the day he was able to tell a 25-year-old woman that a man suspected of raping her more than 10 years earlier had been arrested stands out as one of his best on the job. A break in the case came thanks to a new law that requires the collection of DNA from all felony arrestees. That aspect of former Senate Bill 77 took effect July 1, 2011. The next day, Madison County sheriffs deputies arrested a man on a felony abduction charge and authorities collected his DNA. When entered into the Bureau of Criminal Investigations CODIS database, it matched DNA collected after the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Englewood in 2001. A grand jury indicted the suspect on multiple charges in that case, and he is awaiting trial. Informing the victim and her family that this long, torturous mystery was finally moving toward closure was one of the happiest moments of my career, Sgt.
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As a prosecuting attorney, I learned early in my career that people facing mental health problems were cycling through our criminal justice system time and again, receiving jail or prison time rather than the treatment they needed. My colleague Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton saw the same thing years ago as a trial judge. Our shared interest in the problem, which we have worked on together in the past, has prompted a new partnership that I believe holds much promise. Its called the Attorney Generals Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness, a new group that is building on the work of a committee Justice Stratton formed more than a decade ago. (See story, Page 5.) A couple things are especially exciting about this effort. First, it involves some of the best minds across Ohio who are in a position to help address this vexing problem. Not only do these individuals representing law enforcement, the judicial system, the mental health field, housing groups, veterans advocates, education, and more

have the know-how to make a difference, they share a very real desire to do so. This is an action-oriented group. Just as Justice Stratton and I are co-chairing the task force, pairs of experts are leading its 10 subcommittees. They have identified problems, and they are working with their colleagues on and outside the task force to find solutions. The number of people with mental illness in jails and prisons has grown in recent decades as state treatment facilities closed and community-based programs lacked the resources to fill the void. We wont solve the many issues involved overnight, but we can effect real change. And that will create a better environment for Ohio families, individuals with mental illness and their loved ones, and peace officers across the state. Very respectfully yours,

Help for consumers

I am very pleased with the progress of our Consumer Protection Sections new Economic Crimes Division. The units work has led to felony charges against 14 scam artists, and additional investigations hold promise. With your help, we can crack down on crimes against consumers that proliferate during hard economic times such as these. I urge law enforcement and prosecutors to turn to our staff for help in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting crimes against consumers. Authorities wishing assistance can visit www.OHLEG.org and click on Economic Crimes Assistance to Law Enforcement or send an e-mail to Economic Crimes@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

Mike DeWine Ohio Attorney General

In its first review of GPS tracking, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in January in United States v. Jones that law enforcement must have a search warrant before attaching a GPS tracking device to a subjects vehicle. The court held that the attachment and information gleaned from monitoring a subjects movements on public streets constitutes a search within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment. In 2005, federal agents secretly attached a GPS device to a Jeep driven by Antoine Jones while it was parked in a public parking lot. The agents monitored Jones travels for 28 days and used the resulting data to help secure a conviction for his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy. When considering governmental intrusion using technology, those in the criminal justice system often think of the reasonable expectation of privacy rationale set forth in Katz v. United States in 1967. In Jones, however, the court recognized the Katz formulation, but noted, For most of our history, the Fourth Amendment was understood to embody a particular concern for government
2 CrIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE

trespass upon the areas (persons, houses, papers, and effects) it enumerates. In reaching its decision in Jones, the Supreme Court emphasized, We have no doubt that such a physical intrusion would have been considered a search within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment when it was adopted. The government physically occupied private property for the purpose of obtaining information. Based on Jones, law enforcement agencies should ensure their policies require a search warrant before officers attach or monitor GPS tracking devices on target vehicles, even those located in public places.

attorney General Mike deWine hears an overview of BCIs mobile crime lab capabilities.

CrIMINAL JUSTICE

UpdatE

Criminal Justice Update typically is published four times a year by the Ohio Attorney Generals Office, primarily for members of Ohios criminal justice community. To share story ideas or alert us to address changes, contact Editor Mary Alice Casey at 614-728-5417 or Mary.Alice.Casey@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov. Volume 4, Issue 2 Spring 2012 Copyright 2012 by Ohio Attorney Generals Office 30 E. Broad St., 17th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/ CriminalJusticeUpdate

Visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/ LawEnforcementBulletin to view and sign up for a new monthly newsletter that highlights key court cases.

VaNtaGE POINT

HONORING THE FALLEN

Law enforcement from across the state will gather at 11 a.m. May 3 to honor six of their peers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2011 and six historical nominees. The Ohio Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony marking its 25th anniversary will take place at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London.

The Tom Stickrath file

On striving for excellence
I share the Attorney Generals vision that BCI very clearly be the best at what we do be the best investigative agency, the best laboratory, the best operation of our type in the country. How you achieve that is through customer service, understanding our customers needs, understanding where BCI adds value. Ive told our leadership team that this is a new normal this level of engagement, the increased number of cases coming into our lab, the high level of investigations and calls that we get so we need to get used to the pace. I set the bar high, and I have high expectations. Hometown: Marietta, Ohio Education: He holds a bachelors degree in business administration and a law degree, both from Ohio State University. Family: His wife, Denise, is a certified public accountant. They have two daughters, Kelsey, a college sophomore, and Kylie, an eighthgrader. Past roles: Stickrath has served as director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety; director of the Ohio Department of Youth Services; assistant director, regional director, warden and chief inspector for the Ohio Department of rehabilitation and Correction; and as interim director of the Governors Office of Criminal Justice Services. Those lost in 2011: Deputy Suzanne M. Hopper of the Clark County Sheriffs Office, who was shot on Jan. 1, 2011, while responding to a call at a local campground Officer Thomas R. Hayes of the Columbus Division of Police, who died Jan. 20, 2011, from complications resulting from a 1979 gunshot wound Officer Jonathan V. Bastock of the Stow Police Department, who died Feb. 5, 2011, from an on-duty injury Capt. Daniel Stiles of the Uniontown Police Department, who died Feb. 15, 2011, while directing traffic Officer Andrew S. Dunn of the Sandusky Police Department, who was shot while confronting a suspect on March 19, 2011 Sgt. Brian S. Dulle of the Warren County Sheriffs Office, who died May 10, 2011, after being struck by a suspects vehicle

On BCIs strategies for improvement

If somebodys doing something better than us, I want to learn from that. Were looking at other labs, at best practices, and benchmarks. So well get there by hiring the best, looking for the best, reading the research, and engaging with Ohio researchers and academicians.

On BCIs relationship with local authorities

I want them to think of us as true partners. Ive spent a lot of time talking with sheriffs and chiefs and prosecutors. I want them to see us as that partner and that place that adds value to the law enforcement community through our specialties through our Laboratory, Identification, and Investigations divisions. The Law Enforcement roundtables that the Attorney General has been holding across the state are great vehicles to get the message out. I give sheriffs and chiefs my cell phone number and tell them to call me 24/7. And they take me up on that fortunately not every night or every minute!

On what best prepared him for this role

Im not a scientist and Im not a police officer, and so I have great respect for those who are. What helped me, other than having the opportunity to hold leadership positions in other large organizations, is working with a broad spectrum of practitioners in the criminal justice community. That gives me a strong understanding of the criminal justice system and where the pieces fit together.

On his management style

I believe strongly in management by walking around, by walking and talking. Thats how I learn. Its been one of my main management principles in every position that Ive had. You can learn much more by talking to staff than you can by pushing paper. And, you know, thats a challenge, because theres plenty of paper to push and phone calls and e-mails to answer. Its also important to tell people that theyre doing a good job. All managers have to deal with people from time to time who arent performing, but I like to catch people doing things right. Thats important.
READ MORE: Read an extended interview with Tom Stickrath at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/CriminalJusticeUpdate.

Caleb Dunn hugs a memorial to his dad, Andrew Dunn, a Sandusky police officer who will be among those honored May 3. (Photo courtesy of Jason Werling/The Sandusky Register.)

SPRING 2012 3

I am a strong advocate for Finding Words. I think all law enforcement officers involved in investigating these types of crimes should take this training.
Savalas Kidd, BCI special agent supervisor, Crimes Against Children Initiative

APRIL MARKS

Child Abuse Prevention Month

ment, prosecutors, child protection workers, and forensic interviewers. You want the most qualified person conducting the interview so the child doesnt have to go through it more than one time, McElroy said. BCI supervisor appreciates trainings depth Savalas Kidd of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation oversees special agents involved with the Attorney Generals Crimes Against Children Initiative. He is a strong advocate for Finding Words. I think all law enforcement officers involved in investigating these types of crimes should take this training, he said. It stresses the importance of making the child the first priority and not losing sight of that. And it walked us through a case from beginning to end from interviewing the child to prosecution and courtroom testimony. Kidd appreciated the depth of the training and the knowledge he gained of various professionals roles in the process. Noting the collaboration thats necessary between law enforcement, advocates, prosecutors, and others, he added, That rapport is so important to ensure the integrity of the investigation can always be maintained. To register for Finding Words Visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/Victim AdvocateTrainings to sign up for Finding Words. Class size is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Courses offer vital guidance in handling abuse

Finding the right words in a difficult situation can be challenging for anyone. Finding the right words to allow a child to disclose abuse takes training. The Ohio Attorney Generals Crime Victim Section offers that instruction, which is aptly named Finding Words. A five-day course Interviewing and Preparing Children for Court helps law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection workers, and forensic interviewers learn best practices for investigating and prosecuting child abuse. Taught by experienced practitioners in the field, it is set for July 1620 at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) in London. A more advanced three-day course The Forensic Interviewer at Trial is being offered for the first time in Ohio to help prosecutors and forensic interviewers prepare children for trial and prosecute cases. Set for Oct. 2931 at OPOTAs London campus, it will be led by experts from the National Child Protection Training Center. Putting the child first The whole premise behind Finding Words is to put the child first, said Ursel McElroy, who coordinates the courses. That is true in every aspect of the training. In addition to always considering the childs best interests, that approach means conducting an age-appropriate interview, learning to overcome varied linguistic abilities, and knowing how to avoid leading questions. Finding Words also stresses the importance of a team approach involving law enforce-

CART welcomes participation, suggestions

The first three hours after a childs abduction are critical in determining whether the child will be found alive. If an abductor intends to kill a child, 74 percent do so within those first few hours. Thats why the Child Abduction response Team (CArT) is important. Its a system to help quickly coordinate law enforcement capabilities and responses following a kidnapping. CArT supports the investigation of the agency in charge, providing additional trained personnel to help as needed. Ohio CArT coordinators can assist a requesting agency in its early assessment to determine what resources are needed and the quickest method to get them on site, said Powell Police Chief Gary Vest, who chairs Ohio CArT. Active since 2006 in regions around the state,
4 CrIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE

CArT has aided in about a dozen missing persons cases involving children and elderly adults. Late last year, Ohio members began a review and revitalization of their efforts. The Ohio Attorney Generals Office participates in CArT through its Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Missing Persons Unit. In addition to providing financial support, the office assists with trainings, mobilizes regional CArT groups in missing persons cases, and is helping with the reorganization. Other local, state, and federal agencies; search-andrescue teams; medical personnel; and victim advocates also are active in CArT. CArT is working to ensure that requests for help are met with the right array of personnel and resources. To raise awareness of the group, they welcome members to invite the participation of colleagues.

For details on CART, contact:

Ohio CART Program Director Jeff Hill 614-761-4603 jeff.hill@oacp.org Brent Currence of the Ohio Attorney Generals Missing Persons Unit 614-728-5431 Brent.Currence@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov Information also is available by visiting the Law Enforcement Foundations website at www.lef-oh.org and clicking on the CART link.

Panel addresses mental health, criminal justice issues

The leaders of an Ohio task force working to reduce the revolving door effect many people with mental illness encounter with the criminal justice system agree on a lot of things. But probably their most fundamental common ground is a desire to get things accomplished. Those co-chairs are Attorney General Mike DeWine and Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, and their group is the Attorney Generals Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness. The task force began meeting in December after evolving from the Advisory Committee on Mental Illness and the Courts (ACMIC), which Justice Stratton formed in 2001. Need for solutions apparent The situation all involved with the task force agree calls for a determined effort. People with severe mental illness make up 18 percent of all Ohio prison inmates, according to a 2010 report from the Ohio Department of rehabilitation and Correction. The Ohio Department of Youth Services reports that 58 percent of the 564 youth in its care as of March 1 were receiving psychology or psychiatry services. I became interested in this problem when I was a county prosecutor and found that a large number of repeat offenders, particularly those who committed minor offenses, had mental health problems, Attorney General DeWine said. They went to jail with a mental health problem, and they came out with a mental health problem. They werent getting treatment. While in the U.S. Senate, Attorney General DeWine and then-Congressman Ted Strickland co-sponsored legislation that led to more mental health courts and expanded treatment for inmates and parolees. Meanwhile, under Justice Strattons leadership, ACMIC has helped make Ohio a national leader in mental health courts and other specialty dockets. Partnership expands opportunities Justice Stratton said she welcomed the Attorney Generals invitation to evolve the task force, adding, It expands our emphasis, our reach, and our force. It really enhances our ability to do a lot more when we combine forces. The task forces 10 subcommittees are making headway on longstanding problems. For instance, when an inmate receiving mental

For more on the task force

The task force includes 10 subcommittees focusing on a range of issues affecting mentally ill individuals and the criminal justice community. Members are at the top of their fields across the state. For a list of subcommittee chairs, visit www. OhioAttorney General.gov/Criminal JusticeUpdate. For more information on the task force, e-mail Amy.OGrady@ OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or Michelle. Gillcrist@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

health care leaves prison, he receives only a 14-day supply of medication. A subcommittee is working to extend the medication supply and provide an additional prescription. Other groups are making inroads on housing, law enforcement training, and issues involving military veterans. To assist, the Attorney Generals Office will provide $500,000 for mental health-related projects. Partners supportive of efforts representatives of the mental health and law enforcement communities see much value in improving interactions between the criminal justice system and those with mental illness. The criminal justice system has become a quasi mental health system, said Terry russell, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio. What Justice Stratton and Attorney General DeWine have done is say, We can do better. We should stop and get help for these people before they get to the criminal justice system. Obetz Police Chief Ken Hinkle, who will begin a one-year term as president of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police this fall, agrees. The task force has been very beneficial in getting all the stakeholders together, Hinkle said. When that happens, you get better communication and greater awareness. Added Wayne County Sheriff Tom Maurer, the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association representative to the task force, I think its a big positive for the law enforcement community.

Training seen as essential

Experts agree on the value of law enforcement training that focuses on de-escalating situations involving people in crisis. Varying levels of training are available: Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) CIT training is a 40-hour course linking law enforcement and emergency mental health services. Participants learn about deescalation, psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, legal issues, and the experiences of those with mental illness and their loved ones. Training is provided at no cost to local agencies. For information, visit www.nami ohio.org and click on the programs link. Both the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association and Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police advocate the training. Interacting with the Special Needs Population This free one-day course offered by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) provides a refresher on dealing with people in crisis. Eight offerings are scheduled in 2012. For dates and locations, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral/OPOTA. Combat Veteran Issues This OPOTA course covers issues confronting distressed combat veterans, including post-traumatic stress disorder, and teaches de-escalation techniques. For details, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.OPOTA. De-escalating Mental Health Crises This online e-OPOTA course covers the complexities of interacting with individuals in mental health crises. To take the course, visit www.OHLEG.org.
SPRING 2012 5

Register now for TDIM gathering

BCI brings more visibility to unsolved homicides

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) can provide increased visibility to help local law enforcement agencies resolve unsolved homicides. Through the Ohio Attorney Generals website at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/OhioUnsolvedHomicides, local law enforcement can share details and photos related to unsolved homicide cases and solicit tips from the public.

The Ohio Attorney Generals 21st annual Two Days in May Conference on Victim Assistance is set for May 1011 at the Hyatt regency Columbus. The conference, organized by the Attorney Generals Crime Victim Section, will consist of four general sessions and 33 breakout sessions built around the theme Mission Possible: Let No Victim Stand Alone. A look at the conferences speakers: Lundy Bancroft has 20 years of experience in interventions involving abusive men and their families. His work focuses on best practices for intervening with male perpetrators of violence, training professionals to help children who have witnessed the abuse of their mothers, and supporting healing and empowerment for abused women. Sgt. Mike Farrar of the Akron Police Department is the father of an autistic son. He will highlight the prevalence of autism and speak on its causes, common behaviors of those with autism, and how to have a successful encounter with a person with autism. Debra Puglisi Sharp will share her story of survival after being bludgeoned, raped, kidnapped, and held for 101 hours by a crack cocaine addict who murdered her husband. As part of the conference, the Attorney Generals Foster Youth Symposium will be held May 11. The symposium will bring together practitioners and policy makers to address issues surrounding the 29,000 youths each year who age out of the foster care system. Symposium participants will help create an action-oriented plan for serving at-risk youth. registration for the Two Days in May Conference costs $50. To register or receive more information, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral. gov/TDIM.
6 CrIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE

BCI defines an unresolved death as a homicide or questionable death that remains unsolved at least two years after being reported to law enforcement and for which there are no apparent viable leads. By highlighting cold cases on the AGs website, local law enforcement agencies can: Bring widespread visibility to a case Increase the likelihood of new tips Compare details of cases in their jurisdictions with unsolved homicides elsewhere, which helps identify linked cases To request that an unsolved homicide be included in BCIs statewide database and featured on the Attorney Generals website, call BCI at 855-BCI-OHIO (224-6446) or send an e-mail to OhioUnsolvedHomicides@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

Nominations accepted for law enforcement awards

Nominations for the Ohio Attorney Generals Distinguished Law Enforcement Awards will be accepted through June 1. To nominate an individual or group in any of the six award categories, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral. gov/LawEnforcementAwardNomination. The awards will be presented at the 2012 Law Enforcement Conference Oct. 2526 at the Hyatt regency Columbus.

Crimes Against Children Initiative director named

Nicole Dehner has been named director of the Attorney Generals recently announced Crimes Against Children Initiative, which targets sex offenders who prey on kids. Dehner will oversee administrative and policy aspects of the initiative and assist with prosecutions. She is based at the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations London headquarters. As a former assistant Franklin County prosecutor, Dehner specialized in cases involving violent crimes and sexual assaults against women and children. Most recently, she served as the chief policy advisor for the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services and, before that, as in-house counsel for the Department of Public Safety. To reach Dehner about the Crimes Against Children Initiative, e-mail her at Nicole.Dehner@OhioAttorneyGeneral. gov or call her at 740-845-2187.

OPOTA addresses campus sexual assault response

Up to a quarter of college women report having experienced sexual assault. To help campus, municipal, and county law enforcement professionals who serve campuses better investigate these crimes, the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy will conduct sexual assault response trainings around the state this summer. The trainings are free and will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at: University of Akron, July 1618 Owens Community College, July 2325 Ohio State University, July 30Aug. 1 Sinclair Community College, Aug. 68 Ohio University, Aug. 1315 To register, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral. gov/OPOTA and click on regional Trainings.

LEGISLatIVE INITIATIVES
The Ohio Attorney Generals Office works with the Ohio General Assembly to advocate legislation aimed at supporting local law enforcement. For more information on these efforts, contact the Attorney Generals Help Center at 800-282-0515.

(Senate Bill 285) Sponsors: Sens. Gayle Manning and Tom Patton Status: Passed and signed; takes effect June 7 This new law permits local law enforcement to request a statewide Blue Alert when a law enforcement officer has been severely injured or killed or to aid in locating a suspect or missing officer. There must be a sufficient description of the suspect or the circumstances surrounding an officers injury, death, or disappearance to believe that an alert could help locate the suspect or missing officer.

Blue Alert

DNA swabbing

Senate Bill 268 Sponsor: Sen. John Eklund Status: Senate passed unanimously, now being considered by House* This bill would require that DNA samples be taken from people summoned to court on felonies or already incarcerated at the time new charges are filed. It complements a law that took effect in July 2011 requiring all felony arrestees to submit DNA samples. It also creates a provision for sealing the records of those acquitted or not prosecuted.

Arson registry

Senate Bill 70 Sponsor: Sen. Tim Schaffer Status: In committee*

This bill would establish a statewide arson registry to be maintained by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and made available to law enforcement, fire chiefs, and fire marshals. It would require that anyone convicted of arson register with their county sheriff within 10 days of their release from incarceration and renew their registration annually from that point forward.
* Indicates status as of press time in early April.

AG pursues scammers
Continued from Page 1

Cold cases
Continued from Page 1

New law adds teeth To give the division more ammunition, the Attorney General initiated legislation that allows it to subpoena phone records, Internet protocol addresses, and payment data in suspected fraud cases. Senate Bill 223, which the legislature passed unanimously, also makes cyber fraud penalties consistent with those for other thefts. It takes effect June 7. Unfortunately, many of these crimes go unreported. Elderly people are frequent targets, and many fear admitting they were conned. The people who are running these scams put a lot of time into their efforts to seem believable, Blanton said. They talk about family, and gain their targets trust. Theyre also very persistent more persistent than seems normal. Many people dont file police reports because the incidents dont seem like crimes in the traditional sense. Sometimes these matters seem like civil disputes. They can seem fuzzy, Blanton said. If law enforcement lets us know of suspicious situations, well chase them down to see if a crime was committed.

This is one of the worst cyber scams that weve seen so far, Attorney General Mike DeWine said. These first-degree felony convictions should make every scammer out there think twice before preying on Ohio families. Experienced team leads effort The Steinhaus case is an example of those being pursued by the Economic Crimes Division, formed a year ago within the Consumer Protection Section to help local authorities identify, investigate, and prosecute consumer fraud of a criminal nature. Led by Principal Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Blanton, a former Jackson County prosecutor, the division includes three other attorneys and two investigators. Weve built a team of people with experience and training who can take some of the burden off of conducting these time-consuming and complex investigations, Blanton said. Our goal is to be a resource for local law enforcement and prosecutors. Were striving to provide indictment-ready cases to county prosecutors. Felony charges filed against 14 The divisions investigations have led to felony charges against 14 people. Eight have pleaded guilty, and other cases are pending. We work to get in there while a situation is hot, Blanton said. These criminals dont leave a long trail. The people who are good at it have a plan for making themselves hard to track. They know how to switch things up when the heat is on. For example, if a scammer convinces a consumer to wire money to a particular location, that business may have security video that could help identify the individual. But its vital to contact the merchant quickly while the footage is available.

Lang said. SB 77 connected the dots in a case that might have never been connected. For this, I know a family and a certain young woman, now 25, who are very, very thankful. As of late March, 173 unsolved crimes now have a prime suspect through DNA matches made possible by the new law. Previously, only the DNA of those convicted of felonies and certain sexually oriented misdemeanors was entered into CODIS. Finding someones DNA at a crime scene is often the piece of evidence that makes the case and lands the criminal in prison, where he or she belongs, Attorney General Mike DeWine said. We now see how SB 77 is helping us identify more bad guys, who just might have gotten away with their crimes had it not been for the new law. Law enforcement agencies submissions to CODIS are up from about 2,700 per month before the law took effect to about 4,600 per month currently. The increased submission rate will help grow the database which now contains more than 428,000 convicted offender and arrestee DNA profiles and in turn increase the potential for solving more cases. Since the law took effect, the number of cases in which a sample matched DNA from a known offender or an unsolved crime has increased from about 110 per month to 127 per month. Every new DNA profile represents an opportunity to resolve cases that may have been pending for years, to bring criminals to justice, and to bring closure to victims, Attorney General DeWine said. Thats what Senate Bill 77 is doing.
SPRING 2012 7

For assistance
Visit the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG) at www.OHLEG.org and click on Economic Crimes Assistance to Law Enforcement in the left-hand column. Fill out the brief form and a staff member will respond. Provide details by sending an e-mail to EconomicCrimes@OhioAttorney General.gov.

dRUG TAKE-BACK
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day set for April 28
The Ohio Attorney Generals Office and law enforcement agencies across the state will participate in a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28. Spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the collection day gives Ohioans an opportunity to safely discard expired or unneeded prescription medications. For a complete list of drop-off locations, visit www.dea.gov.

A sophomore from Metro Early College High School in Columbus looks for and lifts fingerprints with guidance from Special Agent Bryan White during a visit to the Ohio Bureau of Investigation (BCI) in London earlier this year. The students whose courses focus heavily on science, math, engineering, and technology visited BCI to learn about the bureaus forensic science and investigative services.