A 22-year-old Key West policewoman has admitted to scamming dozens of tourists while working undercover as a t-shirt shop employee for nine months last year.
During a sworn deposition last November, Officer Tara Koenig said that her undercover mission had been to gather information about the "scams in the t-shirt shops."
"Did you engage in any rip-offs while you were working for any of these shops?" Attorney John Rotolo asked Koenig. Rotolo was representing Frederick Levy, 26, who had been arrested on drug charges based on testimony by Koenig. Rotolo would later argue that Koenig entrapped Levy.
"I sold t-shirts as I was instructed by my boss," Koenig said.
"Were any of those t-shirts you sold overpriced? And did you scam people in order to sell them?"
"They were overpriced in my opinion," Koenig said.
"As a law enforcement officer, did you feel that it was appropriate for you to participate in scamming people," Rotolo asked. "These people are never going to get their money back, are they?"
"We have tried to make contact with them," Koenig said.
"With who? What about the ones who paid cash? Wouldn't that be the majority of them?"
"I'm going to refuse to answer any more questions about that."
"Were the crimes that my client committed any different than the crimes you committed scamming and stealing from people in the t-shirt shops?" Rotolo asked.
"I'm going to refuse to answer . . ."
Earlier, Rotolo had asked Koenig about how many people she had scammed while working in 10 shops over a nine-month period.
"Off the top of your head, do you have any idea how many people you scammed?"
"No."
"Would it be more than 100?"
"I have no idea."
"It must have been a lot."
"I have no clue."
"Well, if it were three or four, you would have a clue?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Or five or ten?"
"If it were three or four, I would know. But I have no idea."
"So scores, then?"
"No."
"No?"
"Well, `scores' is a lot."
"No," Rotolo advised, "a score is 20. One score is 20."
"Honestly, I just don't know. We have never counted those numbers."
Following her nine-month investigation, Koenig was able to make several arrests on drug and immigration charges— but not a single arrest for consumer fraud.
"More arrests are expected," promised police spokeswoman Cynthia Edwards last September. And Police Chief Buz Dillon said in January that the investigation was continuing.
But this week, Kirby Owen, chief investigator for the State Attorney's Office, told Key West the Newspaper: "No more arrests are expected."
Following the conclusion of her investigation, Koenig submitted an eight-page report, with recommendations, to the City Commission. The Commission has yet to take any action on any of her recommendations.
Frederick Levy was charged with selling marijuana to Koenig after she told him she wanted to buy some for her boyfriend. Levy is currently in an adult drug program.
Zachary Seubarran, 26, another t-shirt shop employee, pled no-contest last November, served 90 days in jail, was fined and placed on two years probation. However, in January, he was accused of violating the terms of his probation and is facing sentencing in April.
April Rene Merrill, 28, was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute. Her jury trial is tentatively set for April 15.
Christopher Myer, 27, pled guilty to misdemeanor charges of possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and use of drug paraphernalia. He was fined and lost his drivers license for two years.
In March of last year, Koenig said she was paid $2500 to enter into a fraudulent marriage with Eli Partoush, 27, reportedly an Israeli national. The purpose of the marriage was to allow Partoush to circumvent U.S. immigration law and enable him to remain in this country legally.
Partoush and three others were arrested on immigration charges. At presstime, Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Throne had not responded to a request for information about the status of those cases.