In brief: Man sues over wrongful arrest
A man wrongly arrested for making death threats over the Internet has filed a lawsuit against the city of Spokane, among other defendants, after the city did not settle a $78,160 damage claim.
On Feb. 14, Spokane police arrested Dean Dunn at gunpoint at his home after tracking statements made on MySpace.com to his Internet Protocol address. After a jail booking and $10,000 bail, it was found that detectives incorrectly copied the postings’ Internet address and that a 13-year-old girl had written the threats to burn down the victims’ house and “chop your whole family into little pieces,” according to past reports in The Spokesman-Review.
Dunn filed a claim against the city on July 11, alleging he suffered emotional distress, lost wages, legal expenses, loss of his computer and undeserved media exposure.
His lawsuit, filed Oct. 5, requests monetary compensation from the city, Spokane Police employees and Qwest – which gave Dunn’s address to police when they requested information on the IP address, court records state. No media are listed as defendants.
Detectives ultimately arrested the girl, who was charged in Juvenile Court for sending threats to other juveniles who lived in her home on East Hoffman Avenue, according to past reports.
Boxer sentenced to work release
The Hillyard Hammer, arrested in April 2006 for an assault outside a Spokane bar, has been sentenced to 120 days of work-release confinement and 18 months of probation.
Chauncey K. Welliver, 24, convicted of fourth-degree assault, will work outside the fences of Geiger Corrections Center but will spend the night there, said his lawyer, Robert Cossey.
Welliver must report to Geiger by Monday, according to court records.
A boxer known in the Spokane area as the Hillyard Hammer, Welliver was arrested after an apartment manager reported Welliver punched him in the side of the head outside the Spread Tavern – now the Zombie Room. Welliver was working as a bouncer at the business and had been trying to break up a fight, according to past reports in The Spokesman-Review.
Information sought on fugitives
Secret Witness is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of three fugitives wanted in separate incidents.
David Carlos Camacho, 35, is wanted for first-degree taking a motor vehicle without owner’s permission, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan. Camacho has a lengthy criminal record. He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and 155 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Dmitriy G. Pustovit, 25, and his younger brother, 24-year-old Mikhail G. Pustovit, are also wanted on felony charges, Reagan said. Dmitriy Pustovit has warrants charging him with third-degree assault and second-degree possession of stolen property, Reagan said. Mikhail G. Pustovit is wanted for possession of controlled substance.
Dmitriy Pustovit is described as 6 feet tall and 175 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes, Reagan said. Mikhail Pustovit is described as 6 feet 1 inch tall and 165 pounds with brown hair and eyes.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of these fugitives is asked to call (509) 327-5111. Tipsters do not have to give their name to collect the reward but should leave a code name or number.
Pair jailed on forgery charges
A couple remained in Spokane County Jail on Tuesday night on charges stemming from their alleged involvement in a forgery mill.
Jamie Hampton, 43, and Jason Hart, 28, were arrested last week after Spokane police detectives discovered the pair were working with a third person from California to cash fraudulent checks on other people’s real bank accounts, said Spokane Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.
Police refer to the scheme as a “forgery mill.” Here’s how it works: A California suspect obtains checking account numbers from a variety of victims and creates fake checks using those account numbers and sends the checks to someone else – in this case, allegedly to the Spokane duo. The second party cashes the checks and sends a portion of the money back to the person in California.
Last Thursday, Spokane police were alerted to a woman trying to cash a stolen and forged check at Bank of America and found Hart and Hampton walking nearby, DeRuwe said. They were arrested after their North Side home was searched.
Each faces a felony forgery charge.