Interpretation of the federal bank fraud statute's language has brought about a peculiar result in some of the federal circuit courts of appeal. In a Utah case, a man was convicted of bank fraud, identity theft, and possessing stolen mail after he allegedly used...
Protecting Your Rights Throughout Eastern Iowa Since 1981
Year: 2013
West Branch woman accused of purloining hydrocodone
A mix-up at an Iowa City pharmacy has resulted in a woman from West Branch being charged with a serious misdemeanor. The woman, who was a medical assistant at the Steindler Orthopedic Clinic at the time of the incident, is accused of obtaining a controlled substance...
Mason City man charged with drug crimes after apparent overdose
When people seek medical attention, it’s generally frowned-upon for medical professionals to share their confidential health information with anyone. In fact, in most cases it’s illegal. Doctors and other medical professionals can cite doctor-patient confidentiality...
Don’t run a fraud on the USPS — they know where you live
The owner of a small secondhand store known as What Goes Around Comes Back Around up in Osceola County learned the hard way that it’s not a good idea to get into a disagreement with the U.S. Postal Service. To the USPS, a rural small business owner in Iowa is just as...
Another funding threat to Delaware and Dubuque County Drug Court
"One of the philosophies behind my Jail and Prison Ministry program is something called restorative justice,” said a Catholic church deacon who coordinates that ministry through the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, “and that's to try and repair the...
Police: Iowa City 21-only ordinance cut felonies, alcohol crimes
With a referendum on Iowa City’s 21-only ordinance coming up in November, the police just released data indicating a number of crimes have dropped since the ordinance was first passed. An earlier repeal effort was only narrowly defeated, and organizers hope support...
Special prosecutor: Sorenson may have made felony misstatements
Even after his resignation on Wednesday after the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee special prosecutor filed his report, former State Senator Kent Sorenson could still face legal repercussions from allegations that he accepted money from U.S. Representative Michele...
Will only small fish fry for the ‘London Whale’ fraud?
The “London Whale” is a nickname for a trader for JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Chief Investment Office in London who was known for his enormous wagers on credit derivatives. The London Whale refers to allegations that certain people at the London office improperly...
Court strikes down Barry Bonds’ obstruction of justice appeal
Back in 2003, baseball great Barry Bonds was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for his agreement to testify before a grand jury. The case came after a raid of a steroid manufacturer called the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or BALCO, by federal agents....
Feds say they’ll stop prosecuting marijuana users, small dealers
Attorney General Eric Holder is moving quickly to align federal drug enforcement policy with the Administration’s goals he described earlier this month. In a speech before the American Bar Association, Holder denounced the nation’s massive incarceration rate,...