SEATTLE — A former federal immigration agent in Washington state has pleaded guilty to importing steroids.
Sean Patrick Ganley was a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent based in Blaine. He entered the plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
He acknowledged ordering human growth hormone and steroids from Beijing in April 2008 using a false telephone number and fictitious address. Customs inspectors working at JFK International Airport in New York discovered the drugs.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Spokane handled the prosecution to avoid any appearances of a conflict of interest involving the U.S. attorney’s office in Seattle.
The 37-year-old Ganley is scheduled to be sentenced in September. The maximum for importing steroids is 10 years in prison.
Olympia: Improve access to healthier foods, agencies told
Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed an executive order directing state agencies to work with several groups to improve access to healthier foods for Washington residents.
The governor said the order will help identify gaps in the state’s food system that prevent nutritious food from reaching all residents.
Gregoire signed the order Tuesday at a Food Systems Strategies Summit at the University of Washington. A coalition of farmers, environmentalists and other advocates are applauding the move.
Insurance commissioner meets with Obama
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler joined a handful of other state insurance commissioners for a meeting with President Obama about the new federal health care reform law.
Tuesday’s meeting in Washington, D.C., also included members of Obama’s cabinet and several insurance company CEOs.
Kreidler, a strong supporter of the reforms, said that Obama said that the new law will not be repealed, despite a push by Republicans to do just that.
More than a dozen state attorneys general have sued over the law, including Washington state’s Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna.
A requirement that most U.S. residents carry health insurance starting in 2014 is central to the law’s goal of coverage for all.
Bellingham: Man shot nine times, autopsy shows
The autopsy on a man killed Saturday in Bellingham shows he was shot nine times in the head and chest at close range with a large-caliber handgun.
The Bellingham Herald reported the Whatcom County medical examiner’s office released information Monday about the death of 49-year-old Bradly Bilsborough at his apartment.
Police arrested his neighbor, 28-year-old Timothy Turnberg. He’s held on $1 million bail for investigation of murder.
The apartment complex, owned by the Lake Whatcom Residential and Treatment Center, houses a program for the mentally ill.
Chehalis: County adopts E-verify to check status
Lewis County is the latest local government in Washington to require contractors to use E-verify, the federal program that checks eligibility to work in the United States.
KITI reported it passed the county commission Monday despite the unexpected opposition of Republican Commissioner Bill Schulte.
He said E-verify is ineffective because it checks only that a legal Social Security number matches a name, but it doesn’t check who may be using that identity. Schulte favors of guest worker program but said immigration reform is a federal issue.
E-Verify is free online program run by the Department of Homeland Security. It has been adopted in Clark, Pierce and Whatcom counties. It was rejected by the Yakima City Council.
Leavenworth: Girl nearly severs finger at campground
A 6-year-old girl nearly cut off one of her fingers with a hatchet at the KOA campground in Leavenworth.
The Wenatchee World reported the Chelan County sheriff’s office heard about the accident Friday because of a call that the father was driving erratically as he sped her to a hospital.
Campground co-owner David Witt said Tuesday the father later told him that although the finger was cut through the bone, doctors were able to reattach it with a pin. He said the girl is expected to make a full recovery.
Yakima: Driver in deadly crash just out of prison
The man accused of leading Yakima police on a chase that ended in a crash that killed two people had been out of prison for just five weeks.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reported 30-year-old Shaun Christopher Kollman had served 10 years for robbery, burglary and assault convictions.
Police say he stole two pickup trucks, was involved in hit-and-run crashes and tried to hit officers during Sunday’s chase.
Families of the two people killed in the final crash asked police Monday why they didn’t call off the high-speed chase. Chief Sam Granato said it’s the department’s policy to pursue drivers who commit a violent felony, such as a hit-and-run.
Kollman was ordered held Monday on $5 million bail, pending possible murder charges.
Spokane: Police beating trial reset to March
The trial of a Spokane police officer charged with excessive force has been postponed to March 7.
The Spokesman-Review reported federal Judge Fred Van Sickle reset the trial date Monday to give lawyers more time with pretrial motions about evidence.
Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. also is charged with lying to investigators about the death in March of 2006 of Otto Zehm.
The 36-year-old stopped breathing after he was struck repeatedly with a police baton, shocked several times with a Taser and hogtied.
The mentally ill janitor was erroneously accused of stealing money from a cash machine.
Man indicted for claims against officials
A federal grand jury has indicted Ronald James Davenport of Deer Park on charges of filing fraudulent multi-billion-dollar claims against four government officials.
The federal government brought a civil lawsuit against Davenport in 2008 to collect delinquent income taxes. The indictment alleges that in retaliation, Davenport made a series of fraudulent claims seeking $5.1 billion each from the U.S. attorney and assistant U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington, the clerk of federal court and an IRS collection officer.
If convicted, Davenport faces a maximum of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.
Ephrata: Officer charged with misconduct
Ephrata police officer Leonard Geer had been charged with possessing stolen property and official misconduct.
The Columbia Basin Herald reported he’s accused of keeping a recovered stolen truck at his home. Geer said he thought he had permission to hold evidence as long as it was available in time for the trial.
He was charged last week in Grant County Superior Court after an investigation by a Moses Lake officer. Geer has been relieved of his duties.
West Richland: Boys burning ants start wildfire
West Richland police say a brush fire was started by two 13-year-old boys who were using lighters to burn ants.
The Tri-City Herald reported the fire Sunday burned about 1-and-a-half acres and threatened three homes before it was controlled.
Police caught the boys running away. They admitted using lighters to burn ants when some grass caught fire. They were booked into juvenile detention for investigation of reckless burning.
Virginia: Planes flying low part of USGS survey
The U.S. Geological Survey, headquartered in Reston, Va., said people in southern Washington and northern Oregon may notice low-flying aircraft through July.
The flights are part of USGS research to measure and map rock types and formations.
The USGS said the pilots from Goldak Airborne Surveys of Saskatoon, Canada, are trained for low-level flying.
From Herald news services
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