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ICE staffer caught stealing from immigrants
By Rocky Mountain News
July 13, 2006

A federal immigration services employee was sentenced to 14 months in prison Thursday for embezzling $11,210 from petitioners whose applications she tossed away.

Catherine Ileen Spear, 46, of Westminster cashed money orders she collected as an employee of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and deposited the money in her own bank account. The agency processes applications and petitions submitted by citizens and non-citizens for citizenship and immigration matters.

U.S. District Judge Lewis T. Babcock departed from federal sentencing guidelines and imposed a more severe sentence because he said it was necessary to deter others and promote respect for the law.

Although many of the victims are described as "aliens" under federal law, Babcock said, they are first human beings who suffered great anguish at the potential loss of their lawful status in the U.S. because of Spear’s conduct.

An investigation began early last year after petitions went unprocessed for several individuals who had submitted applications and fees. The petitioners learned that the money orders they enclosed had been cashed.

An investigation revealed that Spear had deposited 46 money orders into her bank account totaling $11,210.

Spear admitted that she discarded the applications that accompanied the money orders she embezzled.

The discarded applications caused delays and other problems for petitioners who believed they had paid the necessary fees to have their applications processed.

A large number of the money orders were submitted by immigrants living in the United States who were attempting to comply with immigration laws, according to the plea agreement.

In once instance, agents found a money order for $665 paid by a couple attempting to adopt a Chinese baby was deposited into Spear’s bank account.