Two Sentenced for Their Involvement in Producing Counterfeit Driver's Licenses

Jeffrey A. Evans and John P. Weston were both sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dan A. Polster in connection with their conviction for possessing and transferring five or more false identification documents, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today.

Evans, 24, of Powell, Ohio, and Weston, 24, of Rocky River, Ohio, were each sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service.

Evans was also ordered to spend the first eight months of his probation period in home confinement, with electronic monitoring for the first 60 days.

On May 18, 2010, a federal grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio returned an indictment charging Evans and Weston with one count of possessing and transferring five or more false identification documents, and one count of producing, transferring, and possessing document-making implements and authentication features to be used in the production of false identification documents.

Weston and Evans plead guilty to possessing and transferring five or more false identification documents on July 26, 2010, and August 3, 2010, respectively. According to court records, the charges arose from the defendants’ involvement with the production and distribution of numerous counterfeit Ohio driver's licenses containing counterfeit authentication features known as “holograms,” which were primarily used by underage college students to falsely represent their age and gain admission into bars and night clubs.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Kern of the Cleveland U.S. Attorney’s Office, following an investigation by the Cleveland Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Berea Police Department, and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

Over 900 Cop Books

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, surpassed a listing of 900 books written by police officers. According to the website’s editor, Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA, “It’s quite a milestone, but there are over 250 police officers whose works are yet to be included!”

The 901st listed book was written by Robert R. Surgenor, a retired detective from the Berea Police Department (Ohio). In 1987, he was one of the first police officers to mount a video camera in his police vehicle; and, in 1988 that camera captured one of the world’s first police chases. In 1995, Robert Surgenor was assigned to the detective bureau and was placed in charge of the juvenile crime unit. His extensive studies on juvenile crime, gangs, parental authority and discipline led to the writing of his book No Fear: A Police Officer’s Perspective.

He has made numerous television appearances supporting his position that “spanking is a necessary part of child rearing.” As an example, he has appeared on MS-NBC, Fox News and other talk shows. According to his website, “he continues to educate parents, police officers, prosecutors, and judges, about Ohio's Child Abuse laws and parental rights in raising children.”

Ovid John McLaughlin, known as O.J., is a 34 year veteran of the Toledo Police Department (Ohio). O.J. attended the now closed DeVilbiss High School in Toledo where he was All-City in both Football and Wrestling.

He attended the University of Toledo, where he played football for one year before playing two years of semi-professional football in Toledo. He joined the Toledo Police Department and during his career has worked in Communications, Traffic Section, Records Section and Street Patrol; and, had a number of commendations during his career

His book, Tales from the Bat Cave, is a look at policing during the 1960s and 1970s. According to the book description, “The “kick ass and take names” days are gone. Police work nowadays is more the “touchy-feely” way. During this era of police work the Officers carried .38 revolvers, did not have portable radios, copy machines, computers and bulletproof vests were the exception rather than the norm. The vests that were worn by officers in this era were the old-fashioned flak vests that weighed about thirty-five pounds.”

Joseph Niehaus is a lieutenant with the Kettering Police Department (Ohio). He has authored five books. Two of Lieutenant Joseph Niehaus’ books concern hypnosis; and, one, Investigative Forensic Hypnosis, looks at the use of hypnosis in law enforcement. He is also the author two novels, Beware the Whale’s Wake and Fade Out.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 423 police officers (representing 185 police departments) and their 901 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.