The U-S Marshals Service is warning Iowans about an expected boost in telephone scams during the holiday season. Supervisory Deputy Marshal William Iverson, in the Omaha office, says con artists will claim you’ve missed jury duty or broken some other law. They’ll go the extra mile to make you believe it’s a legitimate call, giving badge numbers and the names of real federal judges.

“The callers sound very official,” Iverson says, “and with the threat of arrest and confinement, people naturally get concerned and act probably more quickly than normal.” They’ll also likely “spoof” their phone number so the Caller I-D screen makes it appear to be a call from a government agency. They’ll likely offer to let you pay your bogus fine right there, over the phone.

“The Marshals Service would never collect fines via credit or debit card,” Iverson says. “That should be your first sign that something is not legitimate.” They’d also never ask for bank routing numbers in order to wire money or to purchase a gift card. Iverson says if you get such a call, just hang up.

“It’s the holiday season and we’re concerned about people losing money,” Iverson says. “If you do receive a call that’s suspicious, take a second and think about it. If it doesn’t seem legitimate, it’s probably not.” If there’s a chance you actually did miss jury duty, contact your nearest courthouse directly.

(Radio Iowa)

December 6, 2017—The Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Nebraska, South Dakota, the Kansas Plains and Southwest Iowa is warning people about email scams making the rounds as people are expecting their online holiday deliveries. The email appears to be from Amazon and looks legitimate. It has the official Amazon logo at the top and uses its brand colors. “When it comes to ecommerce, Amazon.com is one of the most trusted and established brands (and a BBB Accredited Business). That’s why scammers love to impersonate it,” explained BBB President and CEO Jim Hegarty.

BBB recently received an email from “Amazon” stating, “Someone from Dayton, Ohio has tried to reset your passwords, and if you have not requested these codes, call this number: 1-800-801-5811.” A code was provided, and BBB was asked to give that code with its email address for verification when calling. “The scammer is trying to make you respond and get you to reset your Amazon password so they can use it to purchase things using your Amazon account,” stated Hegarty. “These kinds of scams tend to go around this time of year because there’s so much communication in the marketplace, and scammers are betting on the fact that you’re going to reply to it and believe it’s true.”

Another scam using the Amazon name also comes in the form of an email. You receive a seemingly legitimate email from “Amazon” saying they couldn’t confirm the address you have on file and asks you to verify your account information by clicking a link.  Don’t do it! This message is fake and just an attempt to gain access to your personal information. The link does not lead to Amazon.com, but rather to a third-party website that could be carrying malware.

Here is some advice on how to avoid falling victim:

Check the sender’s email address. You can often see that the email isn’t even from someone with an Amazon domain.
Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails.  Links can download malware onto your computer and even lead to identity theft. Beware of unsolicited emails in general. Even if they look official, they could be fake.
Never share your personal information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited. Personal information can include your date of birth, credit card or banking information, address or your Social Security number.
Check BBB Tips: Many email scams use similar techniques. Be sure to review the tips found on BBB.org/phishingscam
Report all emails and other scams to BBB’s Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker/us.

The Appanoose County Sheriff’s office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation have made an arrest on the homicide of Curtis Ross on November 24, 2017.  Law Enforcement personnel arrested 27-year old Ethan Landon Davis, of Promise City, Iowa.  Davis was taken into custody at the Wayne County Jail in Corydon, Iowa, where he was being held on unrelated charges.  Davis has been charged with Murder in the First Degree.

Suspect, Ethan Davis

Victim: Curtis Ross

Authorities say that on November 23rd, 2017, Ross arrived in Appanoose County to hunt and retrieve hunting equipment he had previously set out.  At approximately 1-a.m. Saturday, November 25th,  Ross was reported missing after he failed to return to the residence where he was staying. Ross’s pickup was later located in a remote part of Appanoose County near the entrance to the Rathbun Lake public hunting ground. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa, conducted an autopsy which determined the cause of death was from multiple stab/incised wounds and multiple gunshot wounds.  The manner of death was ruled a homicide. The evidence led authorities to suspect Davis. A search warrant was then executed by Law Enforcement at his home Promise City.  A vehicle belonging to him, that was attempted to be concealed, was located about a mile north of Davis’ residence. The vehicle was transported to the Division of Criminalistics Laboratory in Ankeny for forensic examination.  Several areas inside the vehicle have tested positive for blood.

During the search of the property, Law Enforcement also found a rifle that had been concealed under farm equipment and located in a remote area of the property.  Fingerprints belonging to Ethan Davis were identified on the rifle as well as several traces of blood. A DCI criminalist firearms expert matched the casings fired from the rifle to the casings that were found near where the body of Ross was located.  Items of evidentiary value are still being processed at the DCI Criminalistics laboratory.

Law Enforcement is still asking the public for assistance.  If any hunters find anything that is out of place they are asked to not touch the items and to contact law enforcement to come and look at the items.

Police in Carroll report a teenager was being held at the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs following an investigation into an alleged threat to the Carroll High School was posted on social media. Chief Brad Burke said in a Press Release this (Wednesday) morning, that Carroll High School officials reported to Police at around 8:34-p.m. Tuesday, a message was posted on Facebook that was threatening toward the school. An investigation by Carroll Police and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office resulted in a 16-year old male being charged with Harassment in the 2nd degree. The teen was not identified.

Authorities have determined that there was no threat toward any of the schools in the Carroll Community School District. Police are on-hand today (Wednesday) to answer any questions students may have..

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Grocer and beverage manufacturing groups want to rewrite Iowa’s beverage container law and opt for a statewide recycling program instead. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Grocery Industry Association and the Iowa Beverage Association introduced a proposal Tuesday that would repeal the 5-cent bottle deposit law in exchange for an approach incentivizing curbside recycling. The associations plan to push the proposal in the Legislature’s 2018 session.

Under the proposal, the beverage industry would finance a fund to expand recycling and encourage landfills to include more bottles and cans in their efforts. Grocery stores would no longer need to redeem bottles and cans. State figures show Iowa recovers 86 percent of its beverage containers. Opponents worry that scrapping current law will create roadside litter issues and drop the high recycle rate.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office got caught-up on their posted (media) reports today (Wednesday), after being several days behind. There were several arrests and incidents to note, among them:

On Saturday:

• 33-year old Jeremy Theron Harriman, of Avoca, was arrested at around 3:50-p.m., for Violation of a No Contact Order/Contempt of Court, after he was allegedly trespassing near a residence in the 500 block of S. Cedar Avenue, in Avoca. Harriman was found sitting on the sidewalk in front of the residence where the protected party associated with the Protection Order, lives.

On Sunday:

• 33-year old Jill Marie Mastin, of Hastings (IA), was arrested at around 1:45-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. The arrest took place following a traffic stop for speeding 74 in a 55 zone. It occurred at Highway 59 and Magnolia Road.  When the Deputy made contact with Mastin, he noted she displayed numerous cues of impairment.
• At around 3-a.m. Sunday, 31-year old Idris Akeeb, of Country Club Hill, IL, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail after he was brought in on a warrant charging him with five counts of  Forgery, and one felony count of Ongoing Criminal conduct – Criminal Network.
• At around 7-p.m. Sunday, a Deputy on routine patrol in Pott. County, came upon an SUV. A check of the license plate showed the driver’s status was Revoked. Following a traffic stop, the Deputy noticed inside the vehicle several signs of drug use. 47-year old Jeffrey Allen Ronfeldt, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (1.9-grams of meth in a baggie), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Meth pipe), Driving while revoked and OWI/1st offense.

On Monday: A 30-year old woman identified only as “Jane Doe,” was arrested just before 9-p.m., following a disturbance at the Wings America Truck Stop/Restaurant, north of Avoca. A business reported the woman threw items inside the store and then went outside before throwing landscaping rocks at three windows, causing about $900 damage. The woman was found walking in the area of the 39 mile marker on Interstate 80 and placed under arrest. She was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree and Disorderly Conduct.

And, on Tuesday a Council Bluffs woman upset about turning herself in on a warrant, became even more upset when she managed to slip out of her handcuffs while in her cell, and was told she would be charged with escape if she tried that again. 42-year old Michelle Renee Emmert thought she had already served her 14-day required stay at the Pott. County Jail.  Once the situation was explained to her, she was booked into the jail without further incident.

A woman from Nebraska who had reportedly gone to the scene of a house fire in Pottawattamie County to repair her vehicle, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation and Possession of a Controlled Substance (2.2-grams of meth). The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says 33-year old Ashley Lynn Votherms, of Bellevue, NE. was taken into custody at around 11:30-p.m. Friday.  Another person, 34-year old Andrew Sanwick, of Omaha, had a valid warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. Both were arrested after the Pott. County Communications Center received a call about numerous persons rummaging through the property where a home had burned to the ground the previous day, at 1203 Rolling Hills Loop. When the Deputy questioned individuals looking into a vehicle with a flat tire that was partially burned by the fire, Votherms said the vehicle was hers, and that they were attempting to change a tire. A records check indicated Votherms and Sanwick had valid warrants for arrest.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, a Cass County man was arrested for Assault with Injury and Carrying a Concealed Weapon (a gun), Saturday morning. A Deputy was dispatched to the Casey’s Store in Oakland to meet with a 20-year old Oakland man who was allegedly assaulted at a bar in Oakland, by 28-year old Nicholas Clyde Seyler, of Griswold. After an investigation, Seyler was arrested at around 1-a.m.

A traffic stop Saturday afternoon on Interstate 80  in Pott. County resulted in the arrest of two men on drug charges, and the recovery of 2.2-pounds of Heroin. After a Deputy stopped a 2002 Nissan Rogue at around 3:25-p.m., Saturday, the driver, 50-year old Jose Antonio Moreno, of San Pedro, CA., and his passenger, 38-year old Arshak Arayan, of Los Angeles, CA., were taken into custody and brought to the Pott. County Jail. They were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Tuesday morning, of a man wanted for Violation of Parole. 50-year old Joel Alan Weeks, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. Weeks was being held in the jail, without bond.

Red Oak Police say a woman was arrested at around 7-a.m. today (Wednesday). 31-year old Sara Sue Batten, of Red Oak, was arrested on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. Batten was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors in northwest Iowa has voted against having a public prayer before opening a board meeting. The Sioux City Journal reports that the board addressed the resolution by board Chairman Matthew Ung at its meeting Tuesday. It would have had supervisors take turns in choosing whether to lead a public prayer or hold a moment of silence. The resolution said the rest of the supervisors could not overturn the decision by the one making the choice.

The board’s current practice is to observe a moment of silence. The four supervisors who voted against allowing the public prayer all said they pray during the weekly moment of silence. But possible legal action over public prayers at public meetings was among the reasons raised against the resolution.