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154TH YEAR ISSUE NO. 19 $1
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
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Police seek help identifying suspect Woman allegedly made $3,082 in fradulent purchases Staff Report Aurora Police Department is again asking for the public's assistance in identifying a woman suspected of theft at the Aurora Wal-Mart SuperCenter. Tips from the public have helped identify suspects in earlier thefts this year from Wal-Mart, thanks to surveillance camera photos. In this situation, an unidentified woman approached register 21 at 8:34 p.m. Thursday, April 24, said
Aurora Police Chief Josh Daugherty. She made six fraudulent purchases totaling $3,082.15. “The unidentified female customer noticed the cashier was new and engaged him in conversation. (She) told the cashier that she had also worked for Wal-Mart in the past,” said Daugherty. After the cashier completed scanning the merchandise for the first transaction, the woman swiped her credit or debit card through the card reading device, then hit the “cancel” button, said Daugherty. She then told the cashier to hit the “cash” button on the register twice. That prompted the register to open as if the exact cash amount
was given. The woman then completed five additional transactions in the amount of $484.94 each, said Daugherty. She selected five different gift cards, swiping one card per transaction, he said. After each, she hit the “cancel” button and told the cashier to hit the “cash” button on his register, which he did. No form of payment was rendered for any of the transactions, said Daugherty. Anyone who recognizes the suspect in the surveillance photos is asked to call Aurora Police at SUBMITTED PHOTO 1-812-926-1101. Callers may re- Aurora Police are seeking the identity of this woman who allegedly main anonymous if preferred. made off with $3,082.15 in fraudulent purchases from Wal-Mart.
Hop to It!
FILLING TIME
Dillsboro Homecoming starts Wednesday By Chandra L. Mattingly Staff Reporter cmattingly@registerpublications.com
As Dillsboro Homecoming celebrates “Coming Home Again” as its theme this May, the street festival will feature several newbies. Tops for many folks will be the beer garden sponsored by American Legion Post 292 in the grass area across from Hairlines. The beer garden will be moved to a paved area should heavy Dillsboro Homecoming’s rains precede the event, said festiSenior King & Queen val chairman Brett will be highlighted in Hamilton. The Dearborn County “We’re going to Register Thursday, May try it and see what 15. happens,” he said. The award recipient for Alcoholic beveroutstanding citizen also ages are not allowed will be in The Register. in the festival area other than in the beer garden. Also new will be the Skyline Coney Dog eating contest at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. Skyline is donating the coneys for the competition, which precedes returning contests of Twinkie eating, apple peeling and corn shelling. Dillsboro Idol semi-finals will follow. Awards for outstanding citizen, police, fire and emergency medical responders will come right after the 7 p.m. opening ceremonies. If you want to be in the running for Dillsboro Idol, it is too late for this year, since auditions were Sundays, April 27 and May 4, at the Dillsboro Civic Club. Last but not least in the new category, the festival will have a new frog commissioner this year. Long-time commissioner Rick Fields has stepped down after 45 years. Joe Ryan, who has been measuring frog jumps for years as a judge, will take over as commissioner, said Hamilton. Frog jumping and best-dressed frog competitions will be Friday, May 16, starting at 6:45 p.m. Other highlights of Homecoming include the entertainment: Two’s a Crowd (members are from Dillsboro) Thursday, May 15, following the Dillsboro Idol Finals at 8:30 p.m. and the preceding baby contest at 7:15 p.m.; Ridge Runner (members from Aurora and Lawrenceburg) at 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 16; and Channel Kats, Centerline and Linda Lee beginning at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, May 17. “They’re all from around here,” said Hamilton. The 5K run and walk will be back at 8 a.m. Saturday, following by the Homecoming parade at 11 a.m. Other Saturday activities include the classic car/bike cruise-in and BMX Bike stunt show just after noon; the Opening Knight and South Dearborn Middle School show choirs at 1 p.m.; and the K-9 dog trick show at 3 p.m. And all four days will
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BRUCE MCLEASTER/The Journal-Press
Greendale Pool gets filled up Thursday, May 8. This year season passes will be sold $50 for Greendale/Lawrenceburg residents and $80 for everyone else. Greendale’s pool along with Aurora’s and Lawrenceburg’s are slated to open Memorial Day weekend.
Arrest warrant out for former Car Country manager By Chandra L. Mattingly Staff Reporter cmattingly@registerpublications.com
A warrant has been issued for Cincinnati resident Ronald J. Dresmann, 4816 Glenway Ave., in connection with racketeering activity at Car Country/Tepe Automotive, according to court records filed by Indiana State Police Det. Kip Main. Dresmann, 43, is charged with corrupt business influence and forgery, both Class C felonies; and money laundering and theft, both Class D felonies, in Dearborn Circuit Court. The illegal activities occurred between Feb. 1, 2013, and Jan. 14, 2014, and included a provable cash theft of $31,254, according to Main. At the time, Dresmann was general sales manager of Car Country, 804 Green Blvd., U.S. 50, Aurora. Formerly employed as financial director of Walt Sweeney Ford, Dresmann was the only person at Car Country who was to handle money, said Main. Dresmann was able to manipulate the company paperwork to hide his stealing money as customers brought in cash pay-
ments, said Main. But the owner Harry Tepe and financial department staff began noticing discrepancies with the cash flow and found receipt books that weren't protocol for the business, said Main. As they checked records they discovered Dresmann had taken at least $31,254 in cash. In addition, Dresmann had a company gas card for Valero to be used for business purposes only, and it is suspected he used it to fuel his personal car and his girlfriends' cars, said Main. Main conducted interviews with two women and a Car Country employee. A 43-year-old Rising Sun woman confirmed Dresmann lived with her, and they have an 11-year-old daughter, said Main. This woman had seen Dresmann fuel her car at Valero's but did not know what credit card he used. Another woman, who identified herself as Dresmann's girlfriend of two years, said he had given her diamond earrings, a silver necklace and prepaid credit cards, said Main. She was in possession of a silver Chrysler Pacifica missing from Car Country, and said it was given to her to drive by Dresmann after her vehicle
broke down, wrote Main. After he interviewed her, she returned the car to the dealership. Meanwhile, Dresmann's attorney called Main to say Dresmann would not show up for a scheduled interview, said Main. He left a message at the attorney's to say he would file auto theft charges if Dresmann did not return Car Country's black Ford Escape he had been driving, and the following day two women returned that car to Car Country. A Car Country employee who had been supervised by Dresmann said Dresmann skirted paying the employee when vehicles had been paid for in cash, wrote Main. The same employee also witnessed Dresmann filling up his company car and his live-in girlfriend's car using the company gas card, said Main. “It has further been found that Dresmann has been gambling at multiple casinos during this time … with monies suspected to be obtained through the commission of a crime … theft of money from Tepe Auto Sales,” wrote Main. A warrant for Dresmann's arrest was issued Thursday, May 8, by Dearborn Circuit Court Judge James Humphrey.
Chicago-Cincy cocaine dealer faces 50 years in Hoosier prison cocaine in an amount of three grams or more and conspiracy to commit dealing in cocaine in cmattingly@registerpublications.com an amount three grams or more, David Reyes-Valdes was sen- both Class A felonies, at the contenced to 50 years incarceration clusion of a four-day jury trial in by Dearborn Superior Court II Dearborn County, said the DearJudge Sally Blankenship Thurs- born County Prosecutor's Office. day, May 8, following a sentencEvidence presented at both the ing hearing. March trial and later sentencing Reyes-Valdes, 22, Chicago, hearing indicated Reyes-Valdes Ill., was convicted of dealing in By Chandra L. Mattingly Staff Reporter
© REGISTER PUBLICATIONS, 2014
was involved with a Mexican criminal organization based in Chicago and involved in a large trafficking narcotic operation in Ohio, said the prosecutor's office. Dearborn-Ohio County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard and deputy prosecutor Danial Carraway presented the trial evidence, said their office.
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The allegations proven against Reyes-Valdes were that he conspired with two other individuals to deliver 4.4 pounds of cocaine to a residence in Cincinnati. The cocaine was found Oct. 18 in the trunk of a car driven by Manual Maldonado, 26, Cicero, Ill., after he and another driver were stopped by Indiana State Police Trooper James Wells on
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Interstate 74 in Dearborn County for following too closely. Questioned by Wells, the two men said they were to take the cocaine to Reyes-Valdes at a Cincinnati residence, said the prosecutor's office. Upon arrival of members of the Hamilton County Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit, one of the drivers made monitored
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See PRISON, Page 10
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