Faking it
JMU student under investigation for potential fake ID business
Posted on February 18, 2008
JMU police are currently investigating a potential fake ID business on campus. Earlier this month a number of IDs were discovered in freshman Paul Hong’s dorm room during a search for marijuana, according to court records.
On Feb. 4 Officer Rodney McCarter was dispatched to Huffman Hall in response to a vandalism complaint.
According to the affidavit for search warrant filed Feb. 5, the resident advisors noticed a “smoking device” in the room and McCarter entered the room to investigate.
Inside the room, McCarter, who has been trained in the recognition and identification of controlled substances, noticed a green plant like substance with a strong odor on a desk, according to the warrant.
The search warrant filed Feb. 7 authorized the officer to search the room for marijuana or paraphernalia. McCarter executed the search seizing items including a firework, plant like substance, pills, a white tube with marijuana inside and a tall, green smoking device.
While searching under Hong’s bed, McCarter found multiple Kentucky operators licenses, blank card stock used for making licenses and hologram-type images. The affidavit filed Feb. 12 to search seized electronics states that McCarter asked Sgt. Hartman, who has worked on multiple cases of document fraud, to assist him on the case. The search warrant inventory and return lists blank ID cards and ID cards with individuals on them, 21 pieces of card stock and/or fictitious licenses, a Massanutten ski pass, a New Jersey license and a list of names on paper.
Hartman, who has trained in the recovery of digital evidence, seized two computers, a digital camera, two iPods and 15 CDs. The affidavit stated that Hartman seized those items “because he knows through his experience and training that these are the types of items used to manufacture, edit and store fraudulent/fictitious documents.”
The items were kept in the lab of the JMU Police Department and Hartman filed a search warrant for the electronic equipment on Wednesday to search for documentation, records, photos, templates or anything related to the manufacture, sale or possession of fake IDs.
According to the JMU daily crime log, Hong was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana, and four others were referred to judicial review on charges including possession of marijuana, underage possession of alcohol and a weapons violation.
JMU campus police offered no comment on the incidents referring all questions to University spokesman Don Egle.
Egle said this is an on-going investigation being handled by JMU police who are partnering with some outside agencies. Egle also said he is not aware of a fake ID problem.
“This is the first investigation I’m aware of this year, in to the making of false IDs,” Egle said, adding that when the JMU police find out that this may be happening they will take immediate action.
