Category Archives: Victimless Crimes

A St. Albans man was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for distribution and exhibition of child pornography.

Gary Adkins, 33, possessed 291 videos and four images that depicted minors performing sexual acts. He received the maximum sentence of two years in prison and was also ordered to serve extended supervision, which will require he serves 50 years in prison if he violates the terms of his sentence, which include registering as a sex offender.

You were not candid with the court about the extent of your involvement with the files, said Kanawha Circuit Judge Duke Bloom during the sentencing.

Adkins, who did not comment at the sentencing, had said he accidentally downloaded child pornography and immediately stopped viewing it when Bloom questioned him about his actions during the pre-trial hearing in June.

He eventually admitted to possessing the near 300 videos and photos when he pleaded guilty.

At least 50 known victims of child pornography were identifiable in the images and videos found on his computer, according to Kanawha County assistant prosecutor Fred Giggenbach.

These are not victimless crimes, Giggenbach said. The more that people watch these egregious videos, the more victims there are.

Reach Kayla Asbury at kayla.asbury@wvgazettemail.com, call 304-348-3051 or follow @kasbury_ on Twitter.

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Guzzling a few grapes in the supermarket that you don't pay for.

Illegally streaming a TV show.

Taking a performance enhancing drug to improve sport results.

All of these are quite different and hard to compare, but all are against the rules. We all know it. The first two might be considered by some to be 'victimless crimes', or at least crimes against people who can afford to be stolen from. You may well have done something similar to the first one yourself. And I'm sure many people you know have done the second one. In fact, a recent survey suggests that a third of football fans in the UK had illegally streamed matches in the past year.

Stealing and cheating are crimes as old as humanity itself. And of course, there is a spectrum of criminality, both legally and morally. To take the illegal streaming example, I've heard people justify it by saying that they're not taking a physical 'thing', so the company doesn't have any less stock to sell. A weak argument I think, as each person who doesn't pay is depriving the supplier of income. Some may also complain about high costs, but high costs or a business being wealthy aren't reasons to take something without paying.

I think that ultimately people believe that they won't get caught and so there won't be consequences.

Cheating in sport isn't quite the same, but what makes people flex their moral fibre is interesting. The grape-pinching and show-stealing are both crimes where the effect of your individual action in isolation is relatively small, and also the company affected doesn't have a face that you have to, erm, come face to face with.

In sport though, you'll probably know the person or people that your cheating has affected. You've stood opposite them or seen them next to you as your unearned advantage takes you past them in the podium pecking order.

This means that you can't convince yourself that cheating is victimless because you can literally see the victim. So what makes some sportspeople cheat?

At the elite level, small margins matter. Millimetres and milliseconds can make one player a millionaire, and another an also-ran. Players and coaches are understandably always looking for the small gains, the incremental improvements.

If a supplement is legal, can make a difference and, perhaps crucially, the rest of field is taking it, it makes sense to take it. Otherwise, you might find yourself at a disadvantage. The same applies to the tweaks made to a bike that squeeze the most from a race. I'm sure that some cheating starts off as stretching the limits of what's allowed. Pushing what's acceptable and hoping not to go too far (or at least not be found to be doing so).

Winning in sport can bring wealth, fame, adoration and respect, among other accolades. These potential prizes can make it tempting to bend the rules or blatantly flout them, but at what age does that kind of decision come into play?

At school, you'd hope that that the focus would be on fun and fair play. Young kids playing sport in school aren't generally cheating in the systematic way that some adult professionals do, but are the building blocks for this temptation put in place early on?

A survey of 1,000 children aged 8-16 found that over half would be prepared to cheat to win. I was shocked by this, but then I'm neither a sportsman nor very competitive.

Is a proclivity for cheating defined by personal values, opportunity or pressure? It's probably a combination, but it's important to reinforce the importance of fair play at an early age. My recollections of P.E. at school were of a world where winning was key. In more recent years, wider efforts have been made to promote sport for fun, particularly in a world of widening waistbands that needs everyone to get active.

Whether we participate to compete or just for enjoyment, is there enough emphasis on playing the RIGHT way? I want my sporting idols to play fair because they think it's right, not simply because they might get caught.

There are ever-increasing numbers of stories about fairness in sport, from drugs to financial impropriety. Efforts are being made by governing bodies to address them and though the task is sizable, it will bring about improvements.

But in Clean Sport Week (11-17 July), it's important to remember that a desire to play sport in the right spirit is one that can, and should be encouraged and developed from an early age, at the very start of a child's sporting journey.

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What Makes The Cheaters Cheat? - HuffPost UK

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DENVER -- Colorado's crime rate went up 5.5 percent in one year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

The 2016 Crime in Colorado Reportshows the number of major crimes that were reported, includinghomicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, other (simple) assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.

There were increases in every category, with notable upticks in the number of homicides, rapes and aggravated assaults.

The category that saw the biggest increase wasmotor vehicle theft, which went up 22 percent in one year.

(Colorado Bureau of Investigation)

As the overall crime rate went up 5.5 percent, the number of arrests went up 0.4 percent. With 203,765 major crimes reported, there were56,430 arrests.

There were 155 arrests made for homicides compared to 189 reports.

For rape, assault and auto theft, the number of arrests is significantly lower than the number of incidents reported, according to the report.

In 2016, there were 480 rape arrests compared to 3,512 reports; there were23,504 assault arrests compared to 46,833 reports; and there were 2,705 auto theft arrests compared to 19,430 reports.

Police say an increase in vehicle thefts helps fuel other crimes. Most of the vehicle thefts -- 4,784 -- happened in Denver, followed by Colorado Springs (2,062), Aurora (1,538), Pueblo (1,169) and Lakewood (1,010).

"So often we think of auto theft as kids out joyriding, a victimless crime. We are seeing all these serious violent crimes involved with auto theft," said Carole Walker with Coloradans Against Auto Theft.

"So as we are seeing an increase in drug trafficking, opioid use, gun involvement."

She said eventually motor vehicle theft drives up costs for everyone.

"It's contributing to what we pay for car insurance. It really is something we want to engage the public on," Walker said. "We want them to see these numbers and do everything they can to not make selves an easy target."

On Nov. 19, Kole Silz said surveillance video captured a thief stealing his customized F-250 from underneath his nose at work in Wheat Ridge.

"I couldn't really believe it, until I looked at the cameras," he said.

Silz, who ended up finding his truck on his own a month later, now has it alarmed to the hilt.

"Once the truck is armed, if you touch it, it sets the alarm off," he said.

The thief had spray-painted over a blue stripe on the truck to disguise it and put about 1,000 miles on it in one month.

"They could have been running drugs or maybe using my truck to steal another truck with a trailer. I definitely think it was not for driving around," he said.

Walker said people can avoid being a victim by doing common sense things, including locking vehicles, not letting it run when it's vacant not leaving a spare key in it and parking it in well-lit, well-traveled areas.

The 2016 Crime in Colorado report includes statewide crime statistics reported by 244 law enforcement agencies across the state.

The report provides statistics on major crime trends, but the CBI does notoffer analysis as to the reasons for changes in the crime rates.

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Murder, rape, assault, vehicle theft rates up in Colorado | FOX31 ... - FOX31 Denver

A photo of the suspect. (Photo: Surrey RCMP)

GUILDFORD Surrey RCMP hope the public can help them identify a suspect in an attempted bank robbery.

Police say on May 5 shortly after 11 a.m., a man entered a bank in Guildford, in the 10400-block of 152nd Street.

According to police, the man handed a teller a note demanding cash but for some unknown reason quickly left the bank empty handed.

The suspect is described as a Caucasian man in his late 20s, 160 pounds, five feet four inches tall, with blond hair.

At the time, the suspect was wearing black pants, clog-style plastic shoes, a reflective vest, a zip up fleece jacket, and a white and black Nike baseball cap.

Police say the suspect also has a tattoo on the left side of his neck, and on his wrists and fingers.

Surrey RCMPs Robbery Unit is leading this investigation.

If you recognize this man, call your local police right away, said Corporal Scotty Schumann. Bank robberies are not victimless crimes, as, staff can be traumatized by these events.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.

If they wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca.

A photo of the suspect. (Photo: Surrey RCMP)

A photo shows the suspects tattoo. (Photo: Surrey RCMP)

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PHOTOS: Help Surrey RCMP ID suspect in attempted bank robbery ... - Surrey Now-Leader

Crime is a major part of every society. Its costs and effects touch just about everyone to some degree. The types of costs and effects are widely varied. In addition, some costs are short-term while others last a lifetime. Of course the ultimate cost is loss of life. Other costs to victims can include medical costs, property losses, and loss of income.

Losses to both victims and nonvictims can also come in the form of increased security expenses including stronger locks, extra lighting, parking in more expensive secure lots, security alarms for homes and cars, and maintaining guard dogs. Considerable money is spent to avoid being victimized. Other types of expenses can include a victim or person fearful of crime moving to a new neighborhood, funeral expenses, legal fees, and loss of school days.

Some costs of crime are less tangible (not easily or precisely identified). These kinds of costs can include pain and suffering, and a lower quality of life. There are also the traumatic impacts on friends and the disruption of family. Behavior can be forever changed and shaped by crime, whether it be weighing the risks of going to certain places or even the fear of making new friends.

Inmates led by a drill instructor at an Oregon correctional institution boot camp. About thirty states operate similar facilities, combining military-style workouts, strict discipline, and intensive substance abuse counseling. (AP/Wide World Photos)

Crime not only affects economic productivity when victims miss work, but communities also are affected through loss of tourism and retail sales. Even the so-called victimless crimes of prostitution, drug abuse, and gambling have major social consequences. Drug abuse affects worker productivity, uses public funds for drug treatment programs and medical attention, and leads to criminal activity to support the expenses of a drug habit.

Communities and governments spend public funds for police departments, prisons and jails, courts, and treatment programs, including the salaries of prosecutors, judges, public defenders, social workers, security guards, and probation officers. The amount of time spent by victims, offenders, their families, and juries during court trials also take away from community productivity. By the beginning of the twenty-first century it was estimated that the annual cost of crime in the United States was reaching upward toward $1.7 trillion.

Anderson, Elijah. Streetwise: Race, Class and Change in an Urban Community. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

Beckett, Katherine. Making Crime Pay: Law and Order in Contemporary American Politics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Cook, Philip J., and Jens Ludwig. Gun Violence: The Real Costs. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Felson, Marcus. Crime and Everyday Life. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, 1998.

Gray, Charles M., ed. The Costs of Crime. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1979.

Madriz, Esther. Nothing Bad Happens to Good Girls: Fear of Crime in Women's Lives. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1997.

Skogan, Wesley G. Disorder and Decline: Crime and the Spiral of Decay in American Neighborhoods. New York: Free Press, 1990.

Welsh, Brandon C., David P. Farrington, and Lawrence W. Sherman, eds. Costs and Benefits of Preventing Crime. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2001.

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Economic and Social Effects of Crime - Growing Interest In ...

Chad James Eckel

A North Branch man was among a group of people charged as a result of two-day sex trafficking sting conducted by the Anoka County Sheriffs Office last month. Chad James Eckel, 31, made his first court appearance on the charge June 30. His bail was set at $5,000 with conditions or $50,000 with no conditions. According to the Anoka County Sheriffs Office website, Eckel was released July 1 after posting bail. Chisago County Attorney Janet Reiter said one of the conditions of his release was that he have no contact with anyone under 18 years of age. His next court appearance is July 24. According to a press release from the Anoka County Attorneys Office, a total of 19 people were arrested in the sting, and the office has levied charges against 11 of them. Six more cases are under review by the office, and charges are likely. The defendants were arrested after soliciting sex acts from undercover officers who were posing as children. Each defendant is charged with one felony count of electronic solicitation of a child (engage in sexual communication). Earlier this week, law enforcement from multiple agencies executed a well-organized initiative targeting those with desires to prey upon the youth of our community, said Paul Young, chief of the Anoka County Attorneys Office Criminal Division. Simply stated, this will not be tolerated. Kudos to all of the law enforcement experience and labor channeled for this investigation. While this investigation and these crimes did not involve any real children, we know these are not victimless crimes. This type of crime predatory conduct in search of exploiting children has no geographic boundary and impacts our whole community.

Criminal sexual conduct charge Eckel was charged in Chisago and Hennepin counties with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony, in October 2015 related to an incident where he allegedly touched a girl under the age of 13 an act that included sexual penetration. However, prosecution has not moved forward on those charges. In December 2016, counsel for the defendant made a motion in the Chisago County matter to examine the defendants competency to stand trial, Reiter said. The defendant was found incompetent to stand trial in both the Hennepin County and Chisago County matters earlier this year. By rule, the prosecution of these matters is suspended. Prosecution may be reinitiated with a new evaluation of his competency. The Anoka County charge could lead to a reassessment of Eckels competency to stand trial. With the new charges in Anoka County, there will likely be additional reviews of the Mr. Eckels mental and cognitive status, Reiter said.

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NB man charged in sex trafficking sting - ECM Post Review

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A Queens Village man was convicted of sex trafficking and forcing two teenage girls into prostitution, and faces up to 50 years behind bars.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

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A Queens Village man is facing up to 50 years in state prison after he was convicted last Friday of sex trafficking two teenage girls and promoting prostitution, the Queens district attorney said.

The two-week trial showed Ricardi Dirty Dumervil, 29, issued threats of violence to the young women, who were forced to comply with the defendants wishes over the course of about a year, according to DA Richard Brown.

The defendant has been convicted of inducing fear of physical harm into two young women so that he could treat them as chattel, commodities to be sold to others for cash, which he then pocketed for himself, Brown said. Sex trafficking is a violent, degrading and demeaning crime that will not be tolerated in Queens. The defendant will now be incarcerated for his crimes.

A jury found Dumervil guilty of sex trafficking and promoting prostitution. He was scheduled to be sentenced on July 27.

Brown said the jurys decision in the Queens Supreme Court trial, presided over by Justice Michael Aloise, marked 35 human trafficking convictions since 2007. That year saw the beginning of more extreme punishments for those guilty of exploiting human beings for profit. The last available year for statistics 2016 showed human trafficking convictions in Browns jurisdiction accounted for about one-third of all such convictions statewide.

Trial testimony alleged that Dumervil had forced two women, ages 18 and 19, into prostitution between April 2014 and March 2015, according to Brown. The defendant was accused of threatening violence upon the victims if they refused to obey, forcing them to engage in sexual activity with clients in exchange for money, and then pocketing the profit for himself.

In June, a different Queens man was charged by the Queens DA for alleged human trafficking and pimping out a 14-year-old runaway girl. Reagan Flex Conception, 28, faced a 76-count indictment for kidnapping, rape and other charges on the criminal complaint when he returned to court this week. He could be sentenced to 25 years to life behind bars if convicted, Brown said.

I want to stress that prostitution is not a victimless crime and that sex trafficking is an incessant act of brutality and degradation. This teenage girl was finally freed, but she will have to live with this horrible experience for the rest of her life, Brown said in response to the charges against Conception.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 2604564.

Posted 12:00 am, July 11, 2017

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Queens Village man convicted of sex trafficking, prostitution: DA - TimesLedger

Two schools in as many weeks have been targeted by lead thieves in crimes that have been dubbed shameful and destructive.

Large amounts of lead flashing was stripped off the roof at Penybont Primary in Bridgend.

But it is understood thieves were disturbed by the caretaker and dropped it before fleeing.

Less than a week earlier, the towns Oldcastle Primary School, which is just a few streets away, reported 200 of lead had been stolen from its roof, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Town and county councillor Nicole Burnett, who is also the chairwoman of the Friends of Penybont, branded Saturdays incident an appalling crime and act of vandalism.

She said the money to pay the excess on the insurance claim would have to come out of school funds, meaning less money to be spent on the education of our children!

The lead was taken from a part of the roof which cannot be seen from ground level and if this crime had gone unnoticed, then the next time it rained the school would have suffered extreme water damage, which could have meant the closure of the school. This is not a victimless crime, she added.

Councillor Charles Smith, Bridgend council cabinet member for education and regeneration, said: This type of shameful, destructive crime can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to a school and its resources, and leaves scores of children at a disadvantage.

A police investigation is underway and we would urge anyone who notices suspicious behaviour taking place on school premises to report it immediately.

A police spokeswoman said officers were called to Penybont Primary shortly before 2.15am on Saturday, and while there was little sign of a break-in, a large quantity of lead flashing was discovered abandoned in the school yard.

Inquiries are continuing to identify those involved, and anyone with any information that could help the investigation is urged to contact 101, quoting reference 1700264313.

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'Shameful' lead thieves target schools causing thousands of pounds worth of damage - WalesOnline

Keene Signals its Support for Secession by its Recent Peaceful Civil Disobedience

In a recent Keene Sentinel piece about multiple city councilors gushing over their recent decision to paint a horribly garish blue line down the middle of Marlboro St, local commenter Johnson Rice points out that the city is actually committing civil disobedience against the federal government:

This doesnt look like the kind of thing a peace officer should be sporting.

Interesting that the city decided to violate the law outlined by the USDOT & FHA when they clearly warned a few towns in New Jersey that this practice is illegal in that it creates unsafe road conditions because motorists dont know what this line means. It could result in lawsuits for the city if the unsafe condition results in any legitimate accidents or even accidents involving less scrupulous people.

Good for the City of Keene though for adopting that rebellious Free Keene spirit and willfully violating federal law.

I think the bright blue paint is ugly, distracting, and possibly dangerous to clueless drivers. The police get far too much worship as-is, for the job of a supposed servant and dont need any more blind obeisance. (They arent all saints. Heres a story about a local NH police chief who also was a child rapist for several years at least.)

All that said, while I dont agree with the issue they chose, I do appreciate the city governments embracing of peaceful civil disobedience. Maybe theyll see the light that the federal government is a controlling, abusive spouse and start openly supporting secession next?

Doubtful, but this does point out that the law means nothing to the state & city when they wish to ignore it. Who can blame them? Statutes and codes are just words on paper written by strangers. They are opinions backed by guns. Thanks to their thin blue line of police, the political class is protected from having to follow their own rules, yet the rest of us are jailed for victimless crimes in ever-growing numbers.

It might make you wonder who the police are really there to protect and serve, hmm?

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City Commits Civil Disobedience Against Feds By Painting Blue Line Down Marlboro St. - Free Keene

Former Police Chief and Convicted Child Rapist Robert K Chambers Sr.

Area former police chief Robert K Chambers, Sr, whod been the head of both the Gilsum and Marlow New Hampshire departments was recently convicted on several counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault and sentenced to decades in prison, according to the Keene Sentinel. Chambers is 65. Heres video of the harrowing victim impact statement his victim made at Chambers sentencing, as published by The Jail Paper Keene, a new court videographer on facebook.

Many people mistakenly believe all Cop Blockers are against the police. The truth is, Im not against the police. Im in favor of when police protect people from real crime involving a victim. I have even assisted the police when they were investigating real crimes. However if police are arresting people for victimless crimes, I will oppose that. Im a police accountability activist, which means holding the cops to their promise of doing good by reporting on the bad ones. The worst cops are those like Chambers, who are clearly people in search of power over others, as this recent despicable example sadly proves.

Its of course, not the first time that NHs top cops have been caught up in ugly news, revealing some of them as corrupt, power seekers. Dont forget the New London, NH chief who allegedly coerced college girls to take nude photos in the police basement when they were arrested for some victimless crime or another. Or how about the Canterbury, NH chief who allegedly used his position of power to engage in sexual acts with a female teen police explorer? Theres the Haverhill, NH chief who resigned after being busted for DUI. Obviously not all chiefs are low-life hypocrites, but you have to wonder how many of them are corrupt. Theres no way to stop a corrupt officer from rising through the ranks of power, since if you withhold taxes in protest, the very same police will come and attack you and your family.

Manch Cops Unnecessarily Intimidate Innocent People in Search for Suspect

Luckily, theres an ongoing NH Freedom Migration where liberty-minded, peace-loving people are moving to New Hampshire and working to reduce the government here. Perhaps someday the states violent monopoly will be ended and the market will finally be able to provide important services like protection, where competition and the ability to say no to a bad companys product or service will raise quality, service, and lower price. That will result in better protection services, provided by those seeking customer satisfaction rather than power.

If you are libertarian of voluntarist, especially if youre interested in police accountability, here are 101 Reasons Why Liberty Lives in New Hampshire, and why thousands of people who think like you are migrating here, ASAP.

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Area Police Chief Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Multiple Rapes - Free Keene