■ /^|||^;y||g^ riR^aiir -rO/7§^r'^^^';"/^|;:^|S^iiSi^ '• ■ ; ■ MONDAY. OCTOBER 9. 1989 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY VOL. 67 NO. 13 Big fake ID operation hits JMU Service] had told me about," Baker said. By Martin Romjue Campus police based their investigation on police reporter statements from the wallet's owner, an on-campus Two men who were being pursued by the U.S. resident who bought the fake IDs from the two Secret Service allegedly sold fake identification suspects. cards to about 50 JMU students last month. In exchange for anonymity and immunity from An investigator with campus police said last prosecution, the student described to police the week the Secret Service warned JMU police Sept. suspects and their operation, told where and when 14 about two suspects known for selling they sold fake IDs at JMU and helped estimate how sophisticated fakes of federal documents. many students may have bought the fake IDs. Sgt. Robert A. Baker said the suspects allegedly Secret Service agents alerted police officials at made false driver's licenses and social security cards college campuses statewide. Baker said there is that included mug shots, fingerprints, references to "reason to believe" the suspects also sold IDs at the "Federal Division of Motor Vehicles," and Norfolk State University, Old Dominion contained pictures of federal landmarks. University and Virginia Tech. Baker estimated that 50 or more students bought Three days after JMU police interviewed the fake IDs at $10 each so they could alter their student, police officers at the College of William Introducing birthdates. and Mary in Williamsburg arrested the two Baker started an investigation after a student suspects. STATUS CARD USA turned in a lost wallet that contained a fake Daniel A. Darling, 60, of Rehoboth Beach, Del., Massachusetts driver's license and a social security and Kent Girard Lydic, 20, of Fairfax, were charged for Americans desiring to carry valid Photo Identification for caid matching Secret Service descriptions. The lost with possessing falsified documents, a Class I BANKING - GOVERNMENT - SCHOOL - BUSINESS - SOCIAL wallet turned up only three hours after Secret misdemeanor under Virginia law that carries a < Wi Mir Ju»«ri «r Service agents tipped off JMU police. maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $1,000 FEDERAL DOCUMENT CENTER "It was a fluke that I was notified at 11:30 a.m. Nation's Capital fine. WASHINGTON. D.C. that day and the wallet showed up at 2:30 in the See IDs page 2> afternoon with a set of credentials [the Secret SOCIAL SECURITY A Status Card U.S.A. used fliers to get FEDERAL DMV - WASHINGTON, D.C. students to buy identification cards. Till U 19*1 FcOd*) l*iUlK*UM ««<• l« ■< * "■•**■! GOVERNMENT BUSINESS &CHECKCASHING ► The cards used references to the GOVERNMENT r[i»Lt JULI I . H6B "Federal DMV" and pictures of CONFIRMATION Itui odfehwr w upa. * Mml Utm Washington landmarks, including the ... .*...-! (W« <** I—no**. -fiUrt r ,.,.(^...1-. «f >—... BUlMMt, SOCMI LMI I l> S"l MIS »i \MI-UK \ Capitol, to appear legitimate. bKiinij NwMr k Horn? **4r~>. Alfcfcl "•' M Ml i,IM \NN\< lll'SI I IS U.S. News ranks JMU 4th best school in region Richmond and Kentucky's Bcrca • faculty quality category," JMU President Ronald • reputation for academic excellence By Roger Friedman Carrier said. College were second and third. All stall writer three of the top schools are private • financial resources JMU also finished as the institutions. • ability to retain and graduate students We're back. highest-ranked Southern regional This year, U.S. News used a "In all but reputation for academic After being excluded from U.S. public university in 1983, 1985 and combination of statistical data and a excellence, U.S. News used objective News and World Report's "America's 1987 surveys. reputation poll to rank the schools. statistical measures to quantify the "Everyone connected with JMU — Best Colleges" listing in 1988, JMU ■ The colleges and universities were school's performance," according to a is ranked fourth among Southern the faculty, staff, students and alumni divided into lour regions — north, press release from the weekly regional colleges and universities in — should be quite proud of this latest south, midwest and west and ranked magazine. "To determine the Strength ihe 1989 report, featured in the national recognition," Carrier said in a according to their records in five key of academic reputation, U.S. News magazine's current issue. press release. sought, the opinions of college Wake Forest University received the areas: "We arc especially happy over the • quality of the student body, as presidents, deans of academic affairs fact that JMU is the highest-ranked highest overall score in the Southern measured by each school's selectivity See COLLEGES page 2> public university among those in its regional grouping. The University of Page 2, The Breeze, Monday, October 9,1989 Colleges ► (Continued from page 1) and deans of admissions." The final overall rankings were determined by combining percentile results with analysis of the statistical data, according to a press release from JMU's Office of University Relations. JMU scored second among Southern regional colleges and universities for student selectivity. In the same category, JMU scored third for academic reputation. The regional university category includes schools that generally award more than half of their undergraduate degrees in two or more occupational or professional disciplines, such as business and engineering. Most of the schools in the category offer graduate degrees. Number of students enrolled in the schools was not a factor. Staff photo by BRETT ZWERDLING Two other Virginia schools were Holy high jinks! ranked in the Southern regional category. Mary Washington College Dukettes Karen Shelton, Rosie Suguitan, Christine Crisclmagna, Goldie Harris and Grace Santos was ranked 12th and George Mason practice the Batdance. University was 13th. IDs >■ (Continued from page 1) Bondurant said he could not detail 10 and met separately with two groups U.S.A. obtained by campus police -William and Mary campus police Darling and Lydic's alleged operation of students interested in buying fake claim the organization is "for confiscated several applications for because "the matter is an ongoing IDs. The pair also visited another Americans desiring to carry valid photo "Federal DMV" driver's licenses and a investigation." residence hall, but Baker could not identification for Banking, variety of false documents when they The Secret Service's legal department confirm which one. Government, School, Business, and arrested the pair, said Mark Johnson, and the U.S. Attorney's Office are Darling and Lydic, who allegedly Social" purposes. an investigator with William and Mary reviewing the case, and will deliver indentified themselves with an Bondurant would not describe Status campus police. their findings in a public statement organization called Status Card Card U.S.A. or verify if it exists. But when they Finish the investigation, Normally, driver's licenses are issued U.S.A., offered the students detailed he did confirm that Darling's arrest Bondurant said. by state DMV offices, not a federal applications for social security cards record lists his home address as If federal investigators determine that branch of that division. District of and driver's licenses from all 50 states. Rehoboth Beach, Del. the suspects' fake IDs closely resemble Columbia information did not contain They reportedly used a special camera Officials at the Rehoboth-Dewey actual federal documents, then Darling a listing for the "Federal Division of to take ID mug shots. The students' Beach Chamber of Commerce said they and Lydic could be charged and could Motor Vehicles." fingerprints appeared on the back of the do not list any businesses with the face maximum five-year prison terms Darling and Lydic also face possible fake driver's licenses. names of Status Card U.S.A. or Daniel and $15,000 fines. federal felony charges, said T. J. Baker said the IDs appear authentic A. Darling. Baker said the fake IDs found at JMU Bondurant, the assistant special agent because they include federal references Delaware's Department of State in charge of the Washington field are "about as sophisticated as I've seen. and symbols. The student's Incorporation and Licensing Division, They were prepared to do business on office of the Secret Service. Massachusetts license obtained by and Division of Revenue, both based the spot" campus police contains pictures of in Dover, couldn't find any listings Johnson said, "This is rather unique. According to the campus police Washington landmarks such as the either. This is the only time we've had investigation. Darling and Lydic Capitol and the Washington The ads also claim the IDs are issued something on this scale." visited two suites in Shorts Hall Sept Monument by the Federal Document Center in Baker also pointed out that the fake Washington, D.C. Bondurant said such social security cards list birthdates. an organization exists in Washington Legitimate cards bear only a person's but did not describe it further. VfctBieeze name and social security number. According to William and Mary hounded 1022 The IDs were manufactured, and campus police. Darling and Lydic also ■ tditor Laura Hunt To lh» prtst a,on*, ckequarad at if if -*l*i abuts, tht mailed to students in a passport-type wanted to recruit students for their Managing editor Healhar Daw eon world is tndtbttd for all thi tnimphs whtch have been holder with a United Slates seal. operation. Business manager Brian Povlnelli gained by rtaion and humanly over error and oppression" [ Design editor Stephen Rountree -James Modi ton "There is nothing official about Assistant design editor Jennifer Roae William and Mary police arrested News editor Wendy Warran this," Baker said.