North Idaho Briefs February 20, 2013
Dalton Gardens man sentenced on firearm charge
A Dalton Gardens man was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Cody James Freer, 26, to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
He pleaded guilty to the charge on Oct. 17.
According to court statements, in June an individual contacted Coeur d'Alene police to verify the Glock handgun he was planning to purchase from a private seller was not stolen.
Police advised the caller the gun was stolen and determined that the seller - Freer - was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction, according to a press release.
The individual arranged to meet Freer at a Coeur d'Alene parking lot to complete the transaction. Police arrested Freer at the parking lot after determining that he possessed the Glock handgun.
Freer has been in custody since his arrest in June.
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Women pose as cleaners in scam
Two women posed as house cleaners and reportedly stole more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from an 82-year-old Coeur d'Alene woman.
According to a police report filed Sunday, the resident said a woman came to her Dollar Street home about six weeks ago, and said the resident's son wanted her to hire a cleaning service.
The victim, who didn't check with her son, agreed to hire the woman and wrote a check for $285 for house cleaning, once a week, and also to drive her on errands.
The check was cashed, but for three weeks, no one came to clean the home, the report said.
Finally, another woman came to the woman's house and said she was sent to do the cleaning and driving. The woman drove the victim to the grocery store and the bank, and then home.
The suspect put the groceries away while the resident sat in the den, then left. The resident later discovered her small designer handbag and some cash were missing.
She told police her home was never cleaned.
She suspects the two women "scammed her to get into her home and steal things."
The victim said the first woman said she was from Russia, but didn't seem to know much about the country.
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Another break-in at Cd'A church
A church was broken into late Sunday or early Monday for the third time in four days.
According to a police report, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 501 Wallace, had nearly $500 of electronics, cables, and supplies stolen in the latest break-in.
A church employee told police "it appeared the suspects went through every room in the church."
The investigating officer asked "how the suspects entered the church as this was the third burglary they had reported since Thursday night."
Family Promise, which has offices downstairs at the church, reported a break-in last week.
There was no sign of forced entry.
According to the report, there is a combination lock on a door to the church, and someone may have that combination.
Stolen property included a router, flashdrives, USB cables and stamps.
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Immigration event is Feb. 26
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will host a free two-hour information session at the Coeur d'Alene library at 5 p.m. Feb. 26.
The session is part of a larger USCIS initiative to help immigrants better understand the naturalization process, including the content of the naturalization test, and to become familiar with free educational resources and materials available from the agency.
USCIS personnel will be on hand to discuss the naturalization process step-by-step, and provide information about eligibility and residency requirements, application forms, fees, the background security check and processing times.
Participants will also see sample questions from the test, and will receive an overview of U.S. history and civic principles. They'll watch USCIS officers act out a naturalization interview.
Free educational materials will be handed out while supplies last.This program will be conducted in English, with Spanish translation.