AGO News Releases With Topic: Crime

Washington State Senior Counsel Andy Fitz will appear tomorrow before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia as lead counsel for several jurisdictions urging the court to force a federal regulatory agency to move forward in the licensing process, issue a decision within 14 months and break the logjam preventing completion of a national repository for America’s high-level treated nuclear waste.

Arrest warrant issued for former medical equipment supplier believed to have left the country OLYMPIA — A Thurston County Superior Court Judge Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for the owner of medical supply company accused of Medicaid fraud. The warrant was requested so that the defendant can be arrested should he return to the United States.

OLYMPIA — An ophthalmologist today pled guilty to stealing more than $51,000 from state and federal health care programs. In July, state prosecutors charged Dr. Behrouz Pirouzkar with three counts of First Degree Attempted Identity Theft and two counts of Medicaid False Statement.

SEATTLE – Standing today with two survivors of modern day slavery, the attorneys general of Washington state and Massachusetts announced that the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) will continue the fight against traffickers after McKenna steps down as the organization’s president.

SEATTLE – In a continuing, bi-national effort to strengthen the legal systems in both the United States and Mexico, Attorney General Rob McKenna will host eighteen prosecutors from six Mexico states participating in a four-day, cross-jurisdictional law enforcement training to be held in Seattle this weekend.

McKenna’s “Pillars of Hope” summit aims to arm opponents of human trafficking SEATTLE — Federal officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, scholars, two filmmakers and a host of other concerned activists arrive in Seattle tonight for a confab to combat human trafficking.

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. Mark Kirk, R-IL, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT and Rep. Dave Reichert, R-WA have added their voices to the tens of thousands of Americans signing online petitions and letters to Backpage.com, calling on the online classified site to end so-called “adult services advertisements.”

OLYMPIA – A Seattle woman was sentenced Tuesday for Medicaid fraud charges filed by the Attorney General’s Office.

 OLYMPIA – A prehearing conference occurred Wednesday for Jodi D. Becker of Eatonville. The defendant is charged with Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree for causing bodily harm to a Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) client, which led to his death. Becker, whose license was revoked by DSHS, was the owner and administrator of Eatonville Manor, a boarding home located in Pierce County.  She is also charged with 12 counts of Theft in the First Degree, two counts of Theft in the Second Degree and one count of Medicaid False Statement.  In addition to Becker, a separate charge of Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree was also brought against the DSHS client’s medical provider, nurse practitioner Joanne Hardtke.

OLYMPIA – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna yesterday joined 52 of his fellow state and territorial attorneys general in calling on Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to ensure that vital programs to keep women and families safe continue uninterrupted.