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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 19, 2002)
Page A2__________________________________ 3Z t|g J í l o r t l a u b © b s e r U e r ________________________________ State to Pay Father for Negligence Woman’s Car Buying, Fraud Scam Busted (AP) — Portland police have cited a 35-year-old woman who was purchasing cars with bo gus cashier’s checks. Police said Shari Melton would contact people who were selling their cars through classi fied ads in newspapers, then purchase the car after a test drive. After the sale was agreed upon, police said victims would sign the car title over to Melton, who always paid with a fraudulent cashier’s check. Police said Melton would pur chase a check with a value of less than five dollars and then alter its value to purchase the car. Melton has been cited for forg ery, theft, selling stolen property, and identity theft. Case stems from toddler’s death during state supervised visit Shah Melton Officer Charged With Ecstasy, Cocaine (AP) - A M ultnomah County Grand Jury indicted a Portland Police Officer last week for first and second degree drug pos session. G ina Hoesly, 33, was in- UPTO W N. dicted for possession of ecstasy, cocaine and methamphetamines. She has w orked as a police officer for 12 years. P ortland P olice say that in M arch an in fo rm an t told them June 19,2002 th a t H o e sly w as p o s s ib ly using c o n tro lle d substan ces. A fter a crim in al in v e stig a tio n , the in fo rm a tio n w as p r e s e n te d to th e g r a n d ju ry . DO W NTO W N. OUT TO THE MALL. SEE IT ALL WITH A TRI-MET SUMMER YOUTH PASS. a W 4 H m b Ì Get unlim ited rides on Iri-M ets MAX and buses with a June, July and August m onthly pass at $16 each, or a 3-m onth pass for $48. lo r youth 18 and younger. Available at the usual Tri-Met outlets including Fred Meyer, Safeway and m ost Albertson’s stores, or online at www.tri-niet.orv. (AP) — The state of Oregon will pay $750,000 to the father of a toddler who was strangled during a state-supervised visit with her mother. The settlement ends a $ 10 mil lion lawsuit that had accused state officials of negligence and violat ing the civil rights of Fernando Lopez-Perez and his daughter, Alexis Lopez. Alexis’ mother, Sharon Y. Weston, faces charges of aggra vated murder and is in jail. During the supervised visit last July, Dale A. Kraft, a state human services aide, allowed Weston and Alexis to stroll out of his sight at Gresham’s Main City Park. Weston took the toddler to a rem o te a rea and a lle g e d ly strangled her with a cord from her jacket. She took the body to a nearby funeral home, where em ployees called police. Officers found Kraft reading a newspaper in a state-owned car Sharon Weston is accused of killing her daughter. more than 45 minutes later. Kraft was fired a month after the killing. After an investigation, prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges against Kraft, saying he did not know about W eston’s mental and emotional problems. But after a five-month review of 3,600 pages o f docum ents, prosecutors criticized the D e partm ent o f Human S ervices’ State Office for Services to C hil dren and Fam ilies for inconsis tent procedures and bad com munication. The review found that Kraft wasn’t informed by caseworkers about W eston’s past threats to herself and the child. He didn't read the file on Weston but wasn ’ t required to. Prosecutors also criti cized the agency for not having clear procedures or outlining what level of supervision was required for the visit. John Coletti, the attorney for Lopez-Perez, said the suit was not about the money. “This is not about bad people. This is a very difficult jo b that they have to do,” Coletti said. “I t’s really about a flaw ed sys tem . A le x is L o p ez slip p ed through the cracks, and hope fully this suit will make the sys tem safer for the next kid.” Teen Admits Role in Escort Murder Case Gresham Cracks Down on Curfew Gresham police say they hope to reduce teenage crime by rounding up minors violat ing the city’s 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. Police say they will place in protective custody minors who are on publ ic streets or in other public places during the cur few hours. Violators would then be charged with a misdemeanor curfew violation and taken to the city’s juvenile detention facility or turned over to their parents. Minors convicted of the infraction could face a fine of up to $295. (AP) - A 19-year-old Portland man has pleaded guilty to aggra vated murder and kidnapping in the shooting death of Portland banker Wayne E. Olson. M edero Prince M oon agreed to serve life in prison with the possibility of parole in 30 years. He will be sentenced after he testifies against another defen dant in the case, Calvin Smith D avis, 24, who is scheduled for trial Aug. 12. Moon also pleaded guilty to assault for an altercation he had while awaiting trial. M oon is the second defen dant to plead guilty in the case. Prostitute Jessica C, Rydm an pleaded guilty to robbery with a firearm , burglary with a firearm and kidnapping with a firearm and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Rydm an said Olson was a ^ custom er o f her private escort service. Police believe she was^ called to O lson’s home Aug. 20, 2000, the day after his wife left for a business trip. Police suspect Rydm an was later joined by her onetim e boy frie n d , D avis, and M oon, a friend. The three were accused in O lson’s m urder, as w ell as ransacking the house and steal ing everything from O lson’s wedding band to snakeskin cow boy boots and cigars. Olson, a 53-year-old Bank of America vice president, was found dead by his wife on Aug. 23,2000. He was bound and gagged and shot in the head. Police Review Board Needs Members The Independent Police Re view Division of the Portland City Auditor's Office is seeking vol unteers to serve on the Citizen Review Committee as the corner stone of police accountability and community policing. The principal duties include the citizen appeals process for police misconduct investigations; advis ing on complaint intake, media tion, and management practices; recommending policy changes in the Police Bureau; and gathering community concerns about po lice policies and procedures. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on July 22 at the 1PR Office, Room320,1221 S.W. Fourth Ave. Questions may be addressed to Dr. Michael Hess, IPR deputy director, at 503-823-4126. Applications will be evaluated and scored by a selection commit tee to be appointed by the City Auditor in consultation with the Citizen Review Committee. The most qualified candidates will be asked to appear for an interview. Those who are selected will be referred to the City Council. Officials said every attempt will be made to select qualified per sons who represent the demo graphic and ethnic diversity of Portland. The application form is avail able on the auditor’s website at www.ci.portland.or.us/auditor, by visiting the IPR office at Portland City Hall, Room 320 or by calling 503-823-0146. PLUS GET GREAT DEALS ON FOOD, FUN AND GAMES WITH YOUR PASS FROM: M c D o n a ld s P o rtla n d Beavers O a ks P ark P o rtla n d I im h e rs Upgrade Coming for Pearson Field (A P ) - P e a rso n F ie ld in V ancouver is receiving $1 m il lion from the Federal A viation A dm inistration for airport im provem ents. 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