Someone asked for more info. This was in the Washington Post 8/8/06.

Please note the end of the article. The only thing I know is someone had to ask for a translator at sometime. The translator does not just step in without an invite. Montgomery County views from what I have seen, that the citizenship status is none of their business in matters of social services and police.

I have put the entire article below the excerpts.

A Lie Kept 2 Charged in VA Data Theft Free

By Ernesto Londoņo

The two men accused of stealing computer equipment with the personal information of millions of veterans remained free several weeks after the laptop and external hard drive were recovered in June because the person who turned them in initially lied to detectives, according to Montgomery County...MONTGOMERY CRIME

The men said little during their brief court appearances yesterday. A Spanish-speaking interpreter told Pineda what he was being charged with. Speaking without a trace of an accent, Pineda asked: "Would you be able to speak to me in English?"




By Ernesto Londoņo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 8, 2006; Page B03

The two men accused of stealing computer equipment with the personal information of millions of veterans remained free several weeks after the laptop and external hard drive were recovered in June because the person who turned them in initially lied to detectives, according to Montgomery County police.

The informant received $10,000 in reward money before the arrest of the alleged burglars, according to a law enforcement source. The source asked not to be identified because the source was not authorized to discuss the reward money.

Authorities offered $50,000 for information that led to the recovery of the data. A federal investigator involved in the case said no decision had been made about whether to pay the remainder of the $50,000 reward -- or, conversely, whether to seek the return of the $10,000 paid already. One concern, he said, is that people continue to see offers of police rewards as credible.

Authorities paid the tipster the partial reward despite questions about the person's story because their priority was tracking down the burglars and establishing that the veterans' data had not been compromised. They also wanted to help solve a rash of burglaries in Montgomery, said the federal investigator, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak on the record about the case.

FBI spokeswoman Michelle Crnkovich declined to comment on the reward last night. VA spokesman Matt Burns referred questions to the VA inspector general's office. A spokeswoman for the inspector general could not be reached for comment yesterday evening.

The temporary loss of the data has been described as the largest breach of sensitive government data in history. Authorities have said the data weren't accessed. The equipment, which police believe was taken during a routine burglary, had a database that contained personal information, including names, birthdates and Social Security numbers, for as many as 26.5 million veterans and active-duty military members. The VA has said it will fire the analyst whose home was burglarized for taking the sensitive data home without authorization.

The informant, whom police did not identify, turned over the laptop and hard drive to police June 28 and told authorities he or she had purchased the items, according to a charging document.

"This confidential source provided a false statement about how he/she came into possession of the items," Det. Mark Hayden wrote in the charging document.

Detectives requested a second interview with the source, who met them voluntarily at the county police station in Wheaton on Aug. 4.

"There he/she recanted the original statement and provided information as to the suspects involved in the burglary," Hayden wrote.

Based on the information the informant provided, police arrested Jesus A. Pineda, 19, and Christian B. Montano, 19, who live in the 13000 block of Grenoble Drive in Rockville. The source told detectives that a juvenile had also participated in the burglary. The third suspect, in custody in connection with an unrelated case, was not identified by police because he is a minor.

The two adult suspects made brief appearances before a Montgomery County District Court judge yesterday. Pineda's bond hearing was rescheduled for today because he hadn't been interviewed by the agency that screens new inmates. District Court Judge Stephen P. Johnson set Montano's bond at $50,000. Both men are charged with burglary and theft.

The men said little during their brief court appearances yesterday. A Spanish-speaking interpreter told Pineda what he was being charged with. Speaking without a trace of an accent, Pineda asked: "Would you be able to speak to me in English?"

Two women who sat together in court and said they were related to the men declined to comment.

Staff writer Christopher Lee contributed to this report.



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