Captain Hurley

Captain Nick Hurley, Corvallis Police Department, recently completed one of the toughest challenges available to local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy. In mid-March, Captain Hurley and three other Oregon law enforcement officers completed a ten-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

There is a highly competitive process local law enforcement officers must go through to be selected for this honor. That process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews with the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate's organization.

"The National Academy is internationally known for its academic excellence and provides the unique opportunity to share best practices and forge partnerships with law enforcement officers from around the globe. The exceptional leaders chosen to attend form an exclusive group and only a few from Oregon are selected each year," said Renn Cannon, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon. "We are proud to sponsor Captain Hurley and our other local partners in the National Academy."

Captain Hurley began his law enforcement career 19 years ago with two years at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) overseeing academy training. Captain Hurley is currently the captain of Professional Standards and Support Services for Corvallis Police Department which encompasses the department’s Records and Evidence, Regional 911 Dispatch center, Training, Risk Management and Public Information.

Captain Hurley earned a bachelor’s degree in ASL/English Interpreting and a Masters of Education from Oregon State University. He also earned his Executive Certificate from DPSST and is a graduate of the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute (IPSLEI) program.

“The FBI National Academy is an incredible learning opportunity and experience for those selected to attend,” said Chief Jon Sassaman, Corvallis Police Department. “We know Captain Nick Hurley has been immersed in critical thinking and exposed to expert instruction of the highest level. We are extremely proud of Captain Hurley’s accomplishments and his successes while at the Academy. We are excited for his return to Corvallis and continued service.”

During the ten weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Captain Hurley’s National Academy classes included: a graduate seminar in Media and Managing Law Enforcement Image; Behavioral Analysis as Decision Support in Investigations; Leadership, Wellness and Vitality; and Leading through a Crisis. The program allows participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies.

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from throughout the United States and around the world. While in the academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging or travel to and from their home.

Chief Roberts

Chief Ernie Roberts, Sandy Police Department, recently completed one of the toughest challenges available to local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy. In mid-March, Chief Roberts and three other Oregon law enforcement officers completed a ten-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

There is a highly competitive process local law enforcement officers must go through to be selected for this honor. That process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews with the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate's organization.

"The National Academy is internationally known for its academic excellence and provides the unique opportunity to share best practices and forge partnerships with law enforcement officers from around the globe. The exceptional leaders chosen to attend form an exclusive group and only a few from Oregon are selected each year," said Renn Cannon, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon. "We are proud to sponsor Chief Roberts and our other local partners in the National Academy."

Chief Roberts is a Portland native who began his law enforcement career at the West Linn Police Department as a reserve office in 1997. He joined the Baker City Police Department in 2000, and he transferred to the Sandy Police Department in 2004. During his career at the Sandy Police Department, Chief Roberts has worked in the patrol division, and, in 2012, he became a patrol Sergeant. In early 2017, he accepted the job as Interim Police Chief, and then the city named him the permanent police chief in June of 2017.

“Chief Roberts’ attendance to the FBI National Academy is a wonderful opportunity, not just for him but for the community he serves,” said former city manager and chief of police Kim Yamashita. “The ability to go, participate and be part of a program that is so diverse, intense and life changing will only enhance his already wonderful servant heart and leadership style. Chief Roberts has made the department his own and will continue, through lessons learned at this academy, to provide a level of professional service that makes the City of Sandy and its residents proud.”

During the ten weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Chief Roberts’ National Academy classes included: Essentials for Law Enforcement Leaders; Leading At-Risk Employees; Behavioral Science for Law Enforcement Leaders; Forensic Science for Police Administration and Managers; Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement; and Fitness in Law Enforcement. The program allows participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies.

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from throughout the United States and around the world. While in the academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging or travel to and from their home.

The FBI is renewing its efforts to find Jean Leonard Faure, age 52, who is wanted in connection with a rape, sodomy and burglary charges out of Douglas County. Originally arrested by local authorities in Roseburg, Oregon, in January 1998 after an attack on his ex-wife, Faure fled prior to trial. The FBI obtained an Unlawful Flight Against Prosecution (federal fugitive) warrant against Faure in April 1998.

Faure was born in the Seychelles Islands, off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. While in the United States, he lived in Oregon and Hawaii. He has family throughout the United States, Canada, and the Seychelles. He may also travel to Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. 

Faure's description:

• White man
• Height: 5'10"
• Weight" 150 pounds
• Hair: Black
• Eyes: Brown
• Scars and Marks: Scar near his left eye.

Faure is known to enjoy soccer and gambling. In the past, he has worked as a waiter and in the food service industry.

The FBI has re-issued Faure's wanted poster, which can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/additional/jean-leonard-faure. It is available in both English and French, both of which are common languages in the Seychelles islands.

If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy. You may also submit information online at https://tips.fbi.gov.

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TT - Tax - part 1 - March 19, 2019 - GRAPHIC

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. This week: building a digital defense against tax fraud. 

With April 15th just around the corner, it is a good time to check in with our friends at the IRS for tips on safe filing.  

With the tax bill passed last year by Congress, there are plenty of changes to tax law, and, not surprisingly, change can bring confusion. This uncertainty can open the door to fraudsters who want to convince you that they can help you find new deductions, fictitious rebates and bigger refunds.  

While most tax preparers are honest, hard-working professionals – there are certainly others who want to take advantage of you as time ticks down to filing day. They may approach you via text, email, social media post, phone call or even in person at community events or church gatherings.  

Here are some warning signs to watch for with regards to these less-than-legit preparers: 

• The preparer says he can get you a much bigger refund than you received last year or is bigger than what other preparers say you are eligible to receive. 

• The preparer pushes you to provide personal information, including W-2 forms, before you actually hire the person. 

• Your tax refund gets deposited in the scammer’s bank account, and he deducts a large fee before paying you the remainder of your refund. 

• The preparer only wants to use paper forms instead of e-filing your return. 

• The preparer doesn’t give you a copy of your own return. 

If you need help finding a tax professional, check out the IRS webpage www.irs.gov/chooseataxpro 

Next week we will talk about some other tax season scams, including criminals who target vulnerable populations and phishing scams that target you and your employer. 

If you have been victimized by this online scam or any other cyber fraud, be sure to also report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at?www.ic3.gov?or call your local FBI office. 

TT - Car Wrap Fraud - GRAPHIC - March 12, 2019

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. This week: building a digital defense against car advertisement scams.

We all want to make a little extra cash, right? When it looks both easy and legal – all the better. Unfortunately, scammers are more than willing to take advantage of you in your time of need.

Maybe you are looking for a job and have your resume up on an online employment site… which leads to a scammer sending you a direct message or email. Or, you are just poking around on social media and see an ad. Either way, you are offered the opportunity to make a lot of money just by putting a car wrap on your vehicle. $500 a week sounds great, doesn’t it?!

You may get a few questions about where you drive and how often, but don’t worry about your answers - you will quickly get accepted into this program. Oftentimes you are told your car will be shrink-wrapped with an ad for a well-known energy drink, soda or adult beverage company. 

The first step is for your new employer to send you a check – sometimes overnight - for a couple thousand dollars. You take out your first week’s pay and wire the rest of it to the company that will make and install the decal or wrap on your car. Everything sounds good up to this point.

You wait a couple weeks, but hear nothing. Turns out there is no wrap and there are no more paychecks. In fact, the bogus check that you just ran through your bank account bounces… and you are now responsible for the thousands of dollars that you unwittingly wired back to the fraudster. Your bank likely charges you extra fees and may lock down or close your account all together.

Before jumping on what sounds like an easy option to make quick cash – stop and think: Why doesn’t the employer just pay the ad-maker directly? If it is up to me to pay the company producing the ad, why wouldn’t I just pay when the vendor installs the ad?

Beyond that, the biggest warning sign is always when someone sends you a check and asks that you immediately wire or electronically move some or all of that money to an unknown third party. A legitimate business is not going to operate this way.

If you have been victimized by an online scam, report your suspicious contacts to the FBI. You can file an online report at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.

At 1:42 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2019, a woman, age 32, suffered a gunshot wound while sitting as a passenger in a vehicle that was being driven on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The woman, a non-tribal member, was transported by ambulance to St. Anthony’s Hospital and then transported by ambulance to a regional hospital in the Tri-Cities. Her injuries are non-life threatening.

At approximately 9:45 p.m. on March 7th, the Pendleton Police SWAT team, in coordination with the FBI and the Umatilla Tribal Police, helped to serve a federal search warrant at a home on the reservation as a part of this investigation. During that SWAT operation, occupants of the house refused to comply with orders to leave the home, and the tactical team deployed CS gas. After the two occupants came out, Umatilla Tribal Police officers arrested them on outstanding local warrants. 

Shirleen Speedis, age 51, and Seth Finch, age 23, are currently lodged in the Umatilla County Jail. Those outstanding warrants that they face are not related to the current investigation. 

The federal search warrant is currently sealed, and no further information on that warrant can be released as this time. As this is an ongoing investigation, no further information about the larger investigation can be released, either.

Anyone with information concerning this shooting is asked to call the Umatilla Tribal Police at (541) 278-0550, the FBI in Pendleton at (541) 276-1433 or the FBI in Portland at (503) 224-4191. You may also submit information online at https://tips.fbi.gov

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TT - Fake Bills - GRAPHIC - March 5, 2019

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. This week: building a digital defense against fake bills.

Agggh – you just opened your email and find what looks to be a receipt for a purchase from a really big, reputable company. The company is so big and well known you’ve probably purchased items from it before. The receipt shows the charge isn’t that high – maybe less than $30 or $40. But it is high enough that you are annoyed and angry. You are convinced that someone hacked your account and purchased that stupid video game using your money.

Conveniently enough, there is a button at the bottom of the receipt for you to dispute the transaction. You are so peeved about the whole thing, you click on that button without even thinking.

It's a simple form – you just list your personal info, including your name, address, bank account routing number and maybe your account number for that big, reputable company. Bonus points if you list your Social Security number.

Of course, the charge is a fake – no one bought a video game using your hard earned money. What is real is how fast the bad guy can drain your bank account with all of that personally identifiable information – or PII – that you just handed over.

Here’s how to protect yourself:

• If you get a receipt for an item that you didn’t buy, check your bank account and credit cards to confirm whether there really was a charge that went through.
• Look for legitimate contact options on the vendor’s public webpage. Use that info – not what is in the email or on the receipt – to contact the vendor to confirm whether there was activity in your account.
• Never click on links in emails, especially unsolicited emails.

If you have been victimized by an online scam, report your suspicious contacts to the FBI. You can file an online report at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.

BR - Umpqua - 2-5-19 - car pix 1

The FBI is releasing new photos of a car of interest in the recent bank robbery at the Umpqua Bank branch located at 113 S. Main Street in Jefferson, Oregon. On February 5, 2019, a man walked into the branch, approached the teller desk while displaying a weapon, and demanded cash from three tellers. The car of interest was seen before and after the robbery driving through downtown Jefferson and on Highway 99E. Investigators believe the car is a gray Mazda four-door with a spoiler on the back.

Witnesses describe the robber as a:

• White man
• Height: 5'9" to 6'0" 
• Weight: 160 to 200 pounds 
• Clothing: The suspect was wearing a hooded black and light blue two-toned raingear-type top with light-colored pants tucked into black rubber over-boots and a black full-face covering. The suspect wore a black ski glove on his left hand and carried a blue bag.
• Weapon: The suspect had a pistol that was covered in a plastic bag. 

The wanted poster for this suspect can be found on the FBI's Unknown Bank Robber website at https://bankrobbers.fbi.gov/robbers-container/2019-02-08.0133058819

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the FBI at (503) 362-6601 in Salem, at (503) 224-4181 in Portland or the Marion County Sheriff's Office at (503) 540-8079.

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TT - Virtual Job Fraud - GRAPHIC - February 26, 2019

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. This week: building a digital defense against virtual job frauds.

Last week we talked about some work-at-home job scams where the bad guy convinces you to deposit a bogus check into your account and transfer funds back to him. This week, we are going to dive deeper into another kind of employment scam that we have been hearing about lately – this one has the scam artist spoofing a real employer with what looks like real jobs.

In this fraud scheme job seekers find a post on a job listing site or they receive what looks to be a legitimate email telling them that there is a high-paying job available. These jobs are often “virtual customer care” kind of positions – meaning you can work remotely. The scammer may even direct the potential employee to a real job posting on a reputable company’s website so that he or she can review the job requirements.

The original email often includes the real name and title of an executive or hiring officer. In some cases, the applicant may even receive a letter with the real CEO’s name on offering him or her a job.

We’ve had reports that the scammer directs the applicant to set up a Google account, if they don’t already have one, and a Google Hangout screen name. Using Google Hangout, the scam artist conducts a virtual job interview. Through that chat session, the bad guy gathers plenty of personal info that you would expect to give to a new employer, including your Social Security number, driver’s license number and the like. He can now set up bank accounts, open credit cards and more thanks to the info you gave up in your phony interview.

How do you protect yourself?

• Start by confirming that the job – and the company – really exist. Look for a public-facing website or other public info that verifies its legitimacy.

• If you see a job listed, apply through the company’s identified hiring portal – don’t allow the scammer to convince you that you can get hired faster going through him.

• Call or email the hiring officer directly using contact info available on the company’s website to confirm the job offer is real.

• Be wary if someone is using a free account – such as a Gmail or Yahoo email address – to communicate with you.

If you have been victimized by an online scam, report your suspicious contacts to the FBI. You can file an online report at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.

The following release concerning an alleged insurance fraud scheme is being sent on behalf of FBI Sacramento. Investigators believe there may be victims throughout the U.S., which has led to this national media outreach. Questions should be directed to the FBI Sacramento Office of Public Affairs at (916) 746-8106  or at SacramentoOPA@fbi.gov.

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The FBI is seeking to identify businesses that may be victims of an alleged nationwide workers’ compensation insurance, health care insurance, and pension plan fraud scheme. 

Businesses that purchased policies from American Labor Alliance (ALA) or one of its many subsidiaries nationwide should contact their state insurance regulator to ensure the validity of their policies. If you believe you/your business may have been a victim of this alleged fraud, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or send an email to WCVictims@fbi.gov. 

On January 10, 2019, ALA and two of its executives were charged with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and money laundering by a 14-count federal grand jury indictment. Court documents allege ALA and its subsidiaries sold what was purported to be workers’ compensation coverage that, in actuality, may offer no coverage. From at least 2011 onward, ALA offered what it purported to be a retirement pension plan to its clients, known by a variety of names including “ALA Trust,” the “ALA Retirement Plan Trust,” or the “ALA Retirement Plan and Trust,” that may also be invalid. Furthermore, according to court documents, ALA and its affiliates allegedly purported to offer a broad range of financial services to potential clients, including tax preparation and drafting of incorporation and other documents. It fraudulently marketed itself as a special type of labor organization under federal law and advertised that its customers could join ALA and receive financial services. 

The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, United States Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, San Francisco Regional Office, and California Department of Insurance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Tierney is prosecuting the case.

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