Of Pedophiles, Fugitives, and Social Security

Last year, the Utah State Legislature refused to pass a bill that would require itself and businesses to verify the Social Security Number (SSN) of prospective employees. This would’ve been achieved at no cost as there are Federal Government (ICE and the Social Security Admin) databases available at no charge.

What does this have to do with fugitives and pedophiles?! The articles below demonstrate how helpful it can be for business owners etc. to check SSNs:

Child pornographer wanted since 2001 caught in Salt Lake City

A man wanted since 2001 for sex offenses in Iowa was arrested in Utah after a suspicious landlord doubted his Social Security number and called the FBI, authorities said Wednesday.

Kirk Swearingen, 45, likely won’t be returning to the Midwest. He was indicted on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography after agents examined compact discs in his computer case.<snip>

After riding an Amtrak train to Salt Lake City from California on Sept. 15, he attempted to rent an apartment under a different name and supplied a Social Security number that actually belonged to a 91-year-old man, FBI agent Jeff Ross said in a court document. The landlord called the FBI. Agents interviewed Swearingen and caught him in a series of lies about his name, date of birth and Social Security number, Ross said. <snip>

‘King Of Child Porn’ Busted On Arrival In Utah
<snip>“We could have been targets for this animal,” John Daley told 2News. “We are nice people. We would have let him into our lives. He could have abused our children too.”

The idea that Swearingen could have set up shop in Salt Lake City is painful for authorities to think about.

“He is one of the worst possible predators,” said Brett Tolman of the U.S Attorney’s office. “He’s very aware of what he’s doing. And he’s systematic.”

“We are concerned that he’s traveling throughout the country, either possibly molesting children… or being involved in production or distribution of child pornography,” Patrick Kiernan of the FBI told 2News.

“I got butterflies thinking about how close of a bullet we dodged,” John Daley added.

Investigators say they have found several CDs in Swearingen’s possession that contain child pornography. The suspect reportedly has used more than 30 aliases over the years, and officials say he was very good at deceiving people.

The FBI says at the current time, it is unclear exactly how many crimes Swearingen may have committed across the country – but he has previously been arrested in Colorado, South Dakota and New Mexico.The bill would have given businesses, the state, and law enforcement the ability to catch, or at least deny employment to identity thieves.<snip>

Well done landlords! Thank goodness they were verifying potential tenants’ SSNs!

So why didn’t the legislature pass the bill to help us catch dirt bags like this pervert among other fugitives? The illegal immigrant lobby came out calling anyone who supported the bill racists (the bill would also result in illegal immigrants not being able to get jobs as they use false SSNs) and businesses (including the banks) had a fit - even though the programs are free it would ‘cost them too much’ (my opinion: they couldn’t hire or give loans to illegal immigrants). Nevermind that this would protect Utah’s children who’s identities are the most sought (see my previous entry on this subject), nor the fact that id thieves (including fugitives) would be caught. Also ignore the fact that SSN verification would protect us and our children from the likes of Mr. Swearingen.

The opposition essentially kept it easy for fugitives to live and work in Utah.

I don’t know if the bill will come up again next year. I hope it does, but who knows what will happen…I’m guessing the same opposition will crush it.

Whatever the case, this creep is known to have been in five states now. As a truck driver, I would assume he probably worked in more. It’s scary to think of how many more victims (including in other states) may be found.

Secure Fence Act

FWIW, the Senate may vote on the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (HR 6061) today.  Currently, there is some floor debate going on and Sen. Jeff Sessions pointed out the shell game some in the Senate are playing with the bill (ie. there is no funding attached to the bill).

Unfortunately, this is nothing new for our weak willed Senate.  They want to go home (remember this is an election year) and tell everyone they supported <insert issue here> so many are demanding.  They will, however, be certain not to mention that there is no funding was allocated, effectively nullifying the bill.

NOW would be a very good time to contact your Senators and politely, yet firmly, ask them to support HR 6061 AND make sure funding is attached to the legislation.

Additionally, it would be nice to contact your Representative to thank them for voting for HR 6061 (or ask for an explanation if they opposed the bill).  Click here for a listing of how each Representative voted.

Finally, note that this bill transcends immigration, more importantly, helps us better secure our country from those who wish to harm us (let’s face it the US-Mexico border is not a secure area).  Tougher yet, however, we also need to figure out how to better handle the Canadian border as well.  This may be promising (again, forget the illegal immigration stuff - this technology may offer progress for securing both borders): Boeing may help catch illegal immigrants.

Skate Park A Done Deal

Just an update on the skate park.  Special interests win again.  Despite the fact that there is indeed a skate park in North Salt Lake (about a ten minute drive from anywhere in Bountiful).  I have also been informed that the skate park is rarely used.

Anyhow, in yesterday’s paper the Bountiful Mayor stated: “We are committed to building the skateboard park, but we have to find the right location”.

So that’s the end of that.  The city will take our money to fund someone’s project.  Yet another example of government involving itself in projects outside of the proper role of government.  At this point citizens can only write a final letter expressing their disapproval of the project for the city council to essentially disregard as no further public comment will be taken on the issue.

A Victimless Crime

Here’s yet another example of a benefit of illegal immigration which the Senate would like to ignore. The story is from NBC4 in DC:

Police have arrested men accused of selling fake identification to illegal immigrants in the Prince William County.

Investigators said Carlos Lopez, Mario Peralto Alatorre and Jovani Hernandez Garcia used the Prince William Plaza shopping center in Woodbridge as a front. Police said the men sold IDs out of their car to anyone with cash.

“I can tell just by looking at all the financial records that we’ve seized that it’s a long-term operation that they’ve been doing,” said Detective Brian Wing of the Prince William County Police Department.

Investigators seized evidence including state and international I.D. cards, Social Security cards and other types of fake identification, News4 reported.

<snip>

the investigation into whether there are more suspects and how many fake IDs are on the street continues.”As far as the operation goes, it was a fairly decent sized operation. We haven’t had one of this proportion in Prince William County before,” Wing said.

The fake I.D. ring was so big that county police are asking the U.S. attorney general’s office to make it a federal case, News4 reported.
A Potomac News article stated that over 1,000 false documents had been made.

What both articles failed to determine or mention is how many of the Social Security numbers (that were found) belonged to someone. We also, at this time, don’t know if this forged document gang had been actively stealing SSNs etc.

According to the head of the Social Security Admin in Utah, about half the SSNs have been allocated. As a result, even if this gang was nice enough just to place random numbers on the cards, there is a 50% probability it belonged to someone. He also stated that illegals are just “decimating” (his word not mine) the SSN system (ie many are having their SSN used by someone else).

The Utah Attorney General among others has noted that children’s SSNs are the most sought after by ID thieves simply because mom and dad don’t think about looking at their credit reports etc. In a press release, the AG noted:

Investigators checked Utah state records [children enrolled in state medicaid only] and found that approximately 1,800 social security numbers, belonging to children under 13, may have been compromised.
In theory, with a child’s SSN you can likely get at least a decade of use without worrying about someone catching on.

The problem the occurs when Francois, Jiang, Julio, or Karl take the fake SSN (assuming the number has been assigned) to get work. Now, they too are felons and the felonies increase with every form they sign/verify a work document with that number. Note, too, that the same SSN may have been given to all four workers - this is often the case.

After a few years Francois etc. buy a home, get credit, and settle down. One or more of the workers also failed to make a couple of payments resulting in a lowered credit rating. Well, guess who will have to deal with it… It will be Frank in Utah or his two year old son Jeff. For Jeff, it will be worse. Jeff may want to go to the state University but needs a student loan. He doesn’t get the loan because his credit is bad. However, lets say Jeff doesn’t need the loan. At school he might want internet access. The ISP also runs a check and denies him an account due to his credit.

Then again, Jeff might be lucky and have some creditors come to his door while he’s still two asking him to pay up. At least mom and dad could start the very long and tedious process of clearing his credit etc.

Unfortunately, in Utah both scenarios have occurred. A two year old received nasty letters from debt collectors (the illegal immigrant was caught and deported) and a State Legislator’s son was denied internet access (I believe the illegal immigrant was caught in this instance as well). It is unknown, however, how many times this has occurred or how many will be faced with the same problem as their children get older and need that clean credit they should have.

In the meantime, the US Senate is happy to grant amnesty to all those who’ve committed ID theft and document fraud while happily leaving you and your children to clean up the mess.