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Savings stolen in rude U.S. welcome

Federal agent in Mich. steals everything from wedding bands to cash from 1,300 immigrants.

David Shepardson / The Detroit News

December 1, 2005

DETROIT-- In the basement of the Rosa Parks Federal Building sit thousands of items, waiting to be delivered around the world, that were stolen from immigrants by a federal law enforcement officer.

Wedding bands. Family Bibles. Shoes. Suitcases. Crucifixes and jewelry. Family photos. And at least $308,000 in cash stolen from 489 immigrants. For many, it was life savings brought to the United States to start a new life. There's enough to fill a large courtroom, says assistant U.S. attorney Bruce Judge.

Federal prosecutors and agents revealed Wednesday that former immigration officer Patrick Wynne had stolen from more than 1,300 immigrants between 2000 and February 2004 -- or 1,000 more than were previously known.

Now, the Department of Homeland Security plans to spend $158,000 to package and ship the items around the globe to immigrants from whom Wynne stole, Judge said.

Two FBI financial analysts spent months poring through records to piece together the brazen crime and learn how many victims there were. The immigrants had all been detained at the federal detention facility, housed in the Monroe County Jail, where Wynne worked as one of the property officers in charge of detainees' possessions.

On Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mona Mazjoub found that there was sufficient evidence to believe that Wynne had stolen the more than $308,000 from the immigrants -- rejecting claims by his attorney, Michael McCarthy, that the number of victims was much less. The hearing was held to determine the number of victims and losses as a result of Wynne's actions. The outcome will determine sentencing guidelines for Wynne, who pleaded guilty.

McCarthy said Wynne acknowledged committing wrongdoing and that "things had gotten out of hand." He suggested that Wynne had stolen from some immigrants so he could repay others. Some immigrants told investigators that Wynne had promised to send them their property.

But Judge called that argument a "red herring" and noted there was no evidence to support that theory -- no receipts to show that Wynne had sent any immigrant anything.

Wynne was a sworn law enforcement officer who carried a gun. He often told immigrants to hand over their original receipts for property, then took their belongings, said Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Tony Chesla. Other times, he would rifle through their coats or suitcases for items, Chesla said.

The immigrants often didn't learn of the thefts until they were boarding airplanes or leaving the country.

"People have a basic cultural expectation that government agents do not steal," said assistant U.S. attorney Judge. The immigrants were "the perfect victims and for many the losses were devastating."

FBI agents found little or no safeguards to ensure that immigrants' property was properly accounted for.

Wynne, 33, pleaded guilty on July 26 to stealing more than $70,000 from more than 50 immigrants. Under a plea agreement, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced Dec. 19 by U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook. Under sentencing guidelines, he likely faces no more than 57 months in prison.

Wynne began working for the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1998 as a detention officer and then became an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer after Congress reorganized many federal agencies into Homeland Security.

He was fired in February 2004 when FBI and the DHS agents raided his Monroe home.

They found unopened bags of cash stolen from immigrants, among the thousands of items. During the period of the theft, Wynne even researched what potential prison sentence he might face if caught, Judge said.

Federal prosecutors are seeking restitution and also want Wynne to pay the costs of returning the items to the immigrants.

Yu Hua Chen was arrested at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Christmas Day 2001. She had $801 in cash, a woman's watch and 1,605 yuan, which is Chinese currency. When she was released on bond in April 2002, she never received her property or cash. She was interviewed from China by agents last year.

During the Feb. 4, 2004, search of Wynne's home, agents found the federal property bag with Chen's name on it and the receipt for her money. In a search of a storage locker of Wynne's, they found Chen's blue suitcase.