The Ongoing Issue of Fake Passports: A Security Threat
Fake passports and identity theft are major security threats worldwide. Recent cases involving fugitives, federal agents, and undercover operatives show the lengths some go to exploit these vulnerabilities and the efforts made by authorities to combat them.
A Fugitive’s 30-Year Run Ends
The Escape and New Identity
Steven Craig Johnson, a fugitive who evaded capture for three decades, highlights the persistence and ingenuity of those escaping justice. Johnson, convicted of sex offences, escaped from a work crew in 1994 while serving his sentence at Mill Creek Correctional Facility in Salem, Oregon. This facility has since closed, but Johnson’s flight from justice remained a pressing concern for law enforcement.
After his escape, Johnson adopted the alias “William Cox,” stolen from a child who had died in Texas in 1962. Investigators believe Johnson obtained the deceased child’s birth certificate and Social Security number in 1995 while in Texas. This new identity allowed him to create a seemingly legitimate life, including obtaining a Texas and Georgia driver’s license in 1998. Under this false identity, Johnson lived undetected for years in Macon, Georgia, where he had resided since 2011.
Breakthrough and Arrest
The breakthrough came when the Oregon Department of Corrections requested the U.S. Marshals Service’s assistance in 2015. Working with the Diplomatic Security Service, the Marshals used new investigative technologies to locate Johnson. The methods remain undisclosed to protect future investigations, but this collaboration was crucial in finally apprehending him.
Johnson’s capture wasn’t without challenges. According to the building manager of his apartment complex, he had no apparent connections in Georgia, aside from one friend who occasionally visited him. Known to his neighbours as William Cox or “Bud,” Johnson lived a low-profile life, relying on a pension for his livelihood. On the day of his arrest, Marshal’s officers confronted Johnson in his apartment, ending his decades-long evasion of justice.
Implications of the Arrest
Johnson’s arrest shows the relentless efforts of law enforcement agencies to pursue and apprehend fugitives, regardless of time passed. It also highlights the sophisticated means criminals use to exploit identity verification systems. This case underscores the need for continuous advancements in investigative technologies and cross-agency collaboration to ensure justice prevails.
The GAO’s Sting Operation on e-Passports
Operation Overview
Despite promises to improve security, the U.S. State Department still faces challenges preventing fraudulent passports. In a recent sting operation, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) obtained five out of seven e-Passports using fake identities. This operation revealed significant lapses in the passport issuance process, including failing to detect basic red flags like counterfeit driver’s licenses and recently obtained social security numbers.
Identified Red Flags
- Fake Driver’s Licenses: The applications included counterfeit driver’s licenses, which the State Department didn’t detect.
- Recent Social Security Numbers: Some applications used recently issued social security numbers, which should have raised suspicion.
- Deceased Applicants: One application used the name of a deceased individual, showing a critical oversight in the verification process.
Previous Issues and Promises
This isn’t the first time the GAO exposed flaws in the passport issuance process. In 2008, the GAO obtained four genuine e-passports using fraudulent information. Following this, officials promised to tighten security measures to prevent future fraud. Despite these promises, the recent operation shows that significant vulnerabilities remain.
Senate Testimony
Gregory Kutz, a GAO investigator, testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security about how his team bypassed security measures that should have raised red flags. He emphasized the need for the State Department to address these vulnerabilities to prevent fraudulent passport issuance.
Legislative Response
In response, Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), chairman of the subcommittee, introduced legislation to correct the vulnerabilities uncovered by the GAO. Cardin stressed the importance of maintaining the integrity of U.S. passports, which is crucial for verifying identity and citizenship and for international travel.
Implications
The GAO’s sting operation showed how easily fraudulent documents could be used to obtain genuine U.S. passports. The findings prompted calls for immediate action to strengthen the passport issuance process and ensure robust verification of applicants’ identities. These revelations underscore the need for continuous improvements in security measures and strict regulation enforcement to prevent such crimes and protect the integrity of identification systems.
Identity Theft in Hawaii
The Crime and Arrest
A couple in Hawaii, Walter Glenn Primrose and Gwynn Darle Morrison was convicted of conspiracy, passport fraud, and identity theft for living under the names of dead babies. Primrose, who worked for the U.S. Coast Guard under the alias “Bobby Fort,” obtained a secret-level security clearance using the stolen identity. The couple’s decades-long deception was uncovered after police seized photos of them in KGB uniforms, indicating possible espionage.
Motivations and Impact
Primrose and Morrison assumed these identities to escape significant debts. They lived under these aliases for decades, with Primrose securing a job with the U.S. Coast Guard, gaining access to sensitive information through his security clearance. Their arrest and conviction revealed the extent of their fraudulent activities and raised serious concerns about identity verification processes within security agencies.
Implications
This case highlights the risks associated with identity theft and the potential for individuals to infiltrate sensitive positions using false identities. The ability to obtain security clearances and other official documents through fraudulent means poses a significant threat to national security. Primrose and Morrison’s conviction reminds us of the importance of thorough background checks and continuous monitoring to prevent such breaches.
Britain’s Undercover Police Scandal
The Practice and Revelations
The Metropolitan Police in the UK have used the identities of dead children for undercover operations for over 30 years. This practice involved creating fake passports and other identity documents and was authorized without informing the children’s parents. The revelation has sparked outrage and calls for investigations into such actions’ ethical and legal implications. Undercover officers infiltrated various groups using these stolen identities, raising serious questions about the impact on the families of the deceased children.
Ethical Concerns and Personal Accounts
Keith Vaz, chairman of parliament’s home affairs select committee, expressed shock at the “gruesome” practice and emphasized the need for answers from the Metropolitan Police. The use of dead children’s identities, internally referred to as the “jackal run,” was justified by some officers as necessary for the “greater good.” However, the emotional toll on the families and the ethical concerns surrounding such actions have led to widespread condemnation and calls for policy changes.
Two undercover officers provided detailed accounts of how they used the identities of dead children. One officer, who adopted the fake persona of “Pete Black” while infiltrating anti-racist groups, described the emotional burden of celebrating the birthdays of the deceased children whose identities they had assumed. Another officer, who took on the identity of a child killed in a car accident, acknowledged the grief of the parents and justified his actions as being for the greater good.
The Case of John Dines
John Dines, a third officer named in the scandal, adopted the identity of an eight-year-old boy named John Barker, who died of leukemia in 1968. Dines’ covert deployment involved a two-year relationship with a female activist who later discovered the identity of the dead child while trying to track down her disappeared boyfriend. This incident underscores the profound personal and ethical dilemmas faced by undercover officers and the potential harm to the families of the deceased.
Conclusion
These cases highlight the ongoing issues surrounding fake passports and identity theft. The lengths to which individuals and organizations go to exploit these vulnerabilities demonstrate the need for continuous improvements in security measures and strict regulation enforcement. Authorities must remain vigilant and adopt innovative technologies to prevent such crimes and protect the integrity of identification systems.
Case Studies
Steven Craig Johnson: Escaped convict captured using a dead child’s identity after 30 years on the run.
- Johnson, a convicted sex offender, escaped from an Oregon prison in 1994.
- For decades, lived under the alias “William Cox,” a deceased child’s identity.
- Captured in Georgia in 2015 using new investigative technologies.
GAO Sting Operation: Highlighted vulnerabilities in the U.S. passport issuance process by obtaining e-passports with fake information.
- GAO successfully obtained five out of seven e-Passports using fraudulent identities.
- Significant lapses in the passport issuance process and the failure to detect basic red flags were exposed.
Primrose and Morrison: Couple convicted of identity theft and passport fraud after living under stolen identities for decades.
- Lived as “Bobby Fort” and “Julie Montague,” the names of deceased infants.
- Primrose worked for the U.S. Coast Guard with a security clearance under the false identity.
- Arrested and convicted, raising concerns about identity verification within security agencies.
Metropolitan Police: Used the identities of dead children for undercover operations, raising ethical and legal concerns.
- Over 30 years, officers used the identities of dead children to infiltrate groups.
- The practice was authorized without informing the parents of the deceased.
- Sparked outrage and calls for policy changes to prevent such practices.
The fight against identity theft and fake passports is far from over. It requires constant vigilance, new technologies, and stringent regulations to ensure the security and integrity of identification processes.
If you would like to work with a professional team that can help make your transition to a life of freedom, contact Amicus Int. for New Identity services today.
