In what Prosecutor Andrew Wilson calls “the most logistically complex case in the history of Clark County,” a bookkeeper embezzled more than $1.7 million from a Springfield manufacturing company over a span of 10 years, writing more than 1,000 corporation checks to herself, her creditors, and even her grown children’s creditors. She was sentenced in March to eight years in prison and ordered to make full restitution.
To prove the deception, assistant prosecutors needed to document the money trail. They did that with the help of the Criminal Intelligence Unit of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). An analyst with the unit studied and organized thousands of records and incorporated them into 7,718 PowerPoint slides for presentation during the five-week bench trial in January and February. She documented how the woman wrote 1,059 corporation checks, deposited them in her own bank account or sent them to creditors, and used company funds to pay utility and credit card bills, mortgages, and car loans.
“We wouldn’t have been ready for trial without the Criminal Intelligence Unit’s help,” Wilson said. “We don’t have the logistical capability to do that kind of analysis. It would have taken a year.”
Clark County’s elected prosecutor for three years and an assistant prosecutor for nine years before that, Wilson turns to the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) two to three times a year.
“They are able to take mountains of data and analyze and organize it for a clear and coherent presentation to a jury or judge. It’s an incredibly valuable resource,” he said. “When you realize the value of what they can provide, you’ll be hooked.”
The intel on CIU
CIU focuses on the collection, analysis, and dissemination of criminal intelligence for law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, coroners, and medical examiners throughout Ohio. The unit has existed since 1975 and now is part of BCI’s new Investigative Services Division, which provides support services and tools to aid law enforcement investigations.
The unit’s 14 analysts can assist with all types of crime cases, and many have expertise in specific areas, such as unsolved homicides, missing persons, narcotics, public corruption, white collar crime, and gangs. The analysts are stationed at BCI’s Bowling Green, London, Richfield, and Youngstown offices, but can assist on location
as needed.
“CIU analysts are trained and equipped to respond to law enforcement requests 24/7,” said Cindy Peterman, a member of BCI’s intel team for 17 years and deputy director of the unit for seven. “We facilitate information on all types of crimes and will assist with investigations however we can. Intel resources can be valuable to any criminal investigation or prosecution. Any agency facing a challenge, looking for advice, or needing a specialist could benefit from reaching out to us. Law enforcement shouldn’t hesitate to ask if we can assist.”
Teamwork pays off
In one case, CIU used predictive analysis and geographic profiling to help authorities nab four suspects in a string of armed robberies in the Westerville area that began in November 2013. Having worked with CIU to solve similar crimes in the past, the Westerville Police Department requested BCI’s assistance.
Analysts were able to pinpoint the approximate time and location of the next crime based on an analysis of the previous robberies. Their report predicted another would occur between 5:53 and 11:51 p.m. Jan. 31 to Feb. 8 in an area bounded by two roads about three miles apart. Officers set up surveillance in the area and were just two buildings away when robbers hit a fast-food restaurant at 9:37 p.m. Feb. 5.
“They are extremely helpful and knowledgeable — and very easy to work with,” Westerville Chief Joe Morbitzer said of CIU. “We’re a very small town, but they treat you like you’re very important and your cases are very important.”
Seven robberies were solved thanks to Westerville’s work with CIU and neighboring departments. “That shakes the foundation of a community, when you get a rash of those,” Morbitzer said. “It’s important that you bring it to a quick resolve. Working together, we are able to resolve these things.”
What CIU can do for you
To request the Criminal Intelligence Unit’s assistance, email Intel@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or call 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446). The staff can assist with:
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Rapid Response, through which analysts quickly deploy with special resources to assist local law enforcement
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Virtual Command Center, an FBI tool CIU can administer in crisis situations
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Commodity flow charts
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Link analysis
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Timelines
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Telephone toll and cell tower analysis
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Financial analysis
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Crime scene charts
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Methamphetamine stats
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Intelligence bulletins
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Intelligence research
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EPIC requests
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Training
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Threat assessments
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Drug and other crime tips
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Geographic profiling analysis, which determines where a serial crime suspect is operating from if five or more crimes have occurred
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Predictive analysis, which determines the next likely target and time span in a crime series
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Distributed Factual Analysis Criminal Threat Solution (dFACTS), which can query multiple sources of public records, commercial data sets, and government information
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Project LINK, which helps solve missing persons cases and identify remains
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Missing or endangered persons assistance and alerts
CIU is also the Ohio liaison for INTERPOL; the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), which focuses on drug movement; the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP), which collects, collates, and analyzes information on violent crimes, particularly murder; and the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which prevents and detects money laundering.
Key contacts and details
BCI’s new Investigative Services group provides services and tools to aid in law enforcement investigations. It includes:
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Clandestine Drug Lab and Marijuana Eradication Unit
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Criminal Intelligence Unit
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Forensic Accounting
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Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway
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Polygraph Unit
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Technical Operations
Contacts for that and other BCI areas are:
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Identification: Rickeya Franklin
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Investigations: Fred Moore (Southern Ohio) and Dennis Sweet (Northern Ohio) for Investigative Operations and Joe Dietz for Investigative Services
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Laboratory: Karen Kwek
For assistance from any aspect of the BCI operation, call 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446).