Eugene Lockhart Indicted in Mortgage Scam that Swindled $20 Million from Lenders

(AP) Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Eugene Lockhart was arrested Thursday after he was indicted with eight others in an alleged mortgage fraud scheme that swindled more than $20 million from several home lenders, federal officials said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Lockhart and the others made 54 fraudulent loan closings for single-family homes in the Dallas area that totaled about $20.5 million. The scheme started in February 2001 and involved obtaining loans to buy distressed or pre-forclosure properties sold at inflated prices. The defendants kept the surplus loan proceeds, according to the federal indictment.

Authorities allege the group recruited "straw" buyers and purchasers and doctored financial statements so the lender would approve the loans.

"The people involved are escrow officers, appraisers, title companies ... the gamut of real estate," said FBI spokesman Mark White. "That's usually how these things work. It takes somebody in every single area to get this thing to work."

The indictment charges Lockhart, 48, of Carrollton, with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.

Lockhart was involved with several real estate businesses, including America's Team Mortgage, America's Team Realty, Cowboys Realty and KLT Properties, according to the indictment. He's accused of collaborating with the eight others to devise the scheme and helping obtain inflated appraisals.

Cowboys Mortgage owner Lendell Beacham, 54, of DeSoto, also was arrested. He faces one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.

Lockhart and Beacham were expected to make an initial appearance later Thursday. They did not yet have attorneys, White said. A telephone number for Lockhart's home also could not immediately be found.

The others are expected to surrender to the FBI by Friday, expect for one who is currently serving a federal sentence, federal officials said.

Lockhart played for the Cowboys from 1984 through 1990 and for New England in 1991-92. He recorded 16 career quarterback sacks and made six interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

Solution to Microsoft killing Outlook Express via Hotmail on September 1, 2009

If you're still using Outlook Express for checking your Windows Live Hotmail, listen up. Microsoft

has cut off your access. On September 1, 2009, the support for Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV), the protocol that Outlook Express and a handful of older clients currently use to access Hotmail, will be discontinued.

As Neowin reported in April of last year, Microsoft originally planned to cut off access for Outlook Express users on June 30, 2008. However the WebDAV protocol got a stay of execution after users complained that it was too soon. Microsoft's management agreed and gave users another year to make the migration. Microsoft has stated that these changes are necessary to support the larger and larger mailbox sizes that Hotmail supports. The say that that due to WebDAV's age, it can no longer keep up with the demands placed on it.

Outlook Express was last included with Windows XP. Windows Vista includes Windows Mail, but it does not feature the direct Hotmail connection features that were present in Outlook Express. Windows Vista users who wish to connect to their Hotmail accounts can use Windows Live Mail, which uses Microsoft's new favored protocol, DeltaSync. Users of Outlook Express who wish to continue using the client can reconfigure the client to connect using POP3, which was added to Hotmail in March 2009.

As part of Microsoft's new distribution strategy, Windows 7 does not include any mail client by default, but users can optionally install Windows Live Mail.

This change will have no affect on users of Microsoft Outlook 2003/2007 using the Office Outlook Connector since it also uses Microsoft's new DeltaSync protocol. However if you're using a previous version of Outlook that connects using WebDAV, you'll need to upgrade to a new client that supports the Office Outlook Connector or reconfigure your client to connect using POP3.

Any users of Entourage on the Mac should also update their client settings to use POP3. Currently there is no alternative connection agent available like the Outlook Connector for Entourage.

Users who check their email using only the browser based version of Hotmail, will not have to make any changes to their account.

To install this download:

1. Download the setup file by clicking the Download button next to OutlookConnector.exe (below), and save the file to your hard disk.
2. Double-click the OutlookConnector.exe program file on your hard disk to start the Setup program.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.

To download OutlookConnector.exe click on the link below. Of course now you will be using Outlook, which in my mind is a much better program just a little more detailed.

http://tinyurl.com/6gddl5

Grab a Kleenex...

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with my friends and me. He said yes. We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Hey boy, you are going to really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to duke. I knew that we would always be Friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a Doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle Was valedictorian of our class? I teased him all the time about being a Nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it Wasn’t me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found him during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give him or her. I am going to tell you a Story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved.
My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go
Through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.

Jon Voight's Delusional Hate Filled Rant About Obama

Maybe I am missing the point of having health care for everyone. Although when I listen to Limbaugh, Hannity and several others they make it seems like Obama is the only person that wants nationalize health care. What does he have to gain from passing a bill to make it so? I thought that he was already a millionaire... So the benefit of Health care is...Is it true that the United States has 70% of the American people are without health care? So if that is really the case, why wouldn't people want health care?

Missouri woman is facing a felony harassment for allegedly placing a phony Craigslist personal ad

AUGUST 18--A Missouri woman is facing a felony harassment rap for allegedly placing a phony Craigslist personal ad that included the photo, phone number, and e-mail address of a teenage girl with whom the suspect had been feuding. Elizabeth Thrasher, 40, allegedly placed the online ad in Craigslist's "Casual Encounters" section, which caters to those seeking all manner of sexual liaisons. Predictably, the May 1 ad resulted in unknown men calling the 17-year-old girl, and sending her e-mails and text messages, some of which included pornographic images, according to the below sheriff's report. Investigators allege that Thrasher and the girl's mother, who is dating Thrasher's ex-husband, had been arguing prior to the Craigslist posting. After the teenager upbraided Thrasher in a MySpace message, the woman retaliated by placing the bogus Craigslist ad, prosecutors charge. Thrasher, pictured in the mug shot at right, was booked yesterday and released on $10,000 bond. The felony complaint against Thrasher was filed in St. Charles County, former home to Lori Drew, who was indicted in a cyber bullying case that resulted in the November 2006 suicide of Missouri teenager Megan Meier. Though Drew was convicted at trial of three misdemeanor counts, U.S. District Court Judge George Wu last month announced his intention to toss out those verdicts.

Former dentist pleads no contest to felony sex charge with minor

prominent retired Ohio dentist, accused of grabbing two boys on Lely Barefoot Beach and forcing one to perform oral sex, pleaded no contest today to a felony sex charge.

The plea by Dr. David Rees Sperry, 68, of 14595 Glen Eden Drive in Naples, averted a trial in which he would have used an insanity defense to claim his Parkinson's and dementia medications made him unaware of his actions.

Sperry pleaded no contest to lewd and lascivious battery, rejecting any plea bargains that would have capped his sentence. Instead, he left his fate in the hands of Collier Circuit Judge Fred Hardt.

The second-degree felony charge, which involves a 14-year-old boy, carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in a state prison.

A second sexual battery charge was dropped by the prosecution in February and involved an 18-year-old boy who said he fled after Sperry grabbed him.

Sperry will have a sentencing hearing Wednesday, when the medical experts who would have testified at his trial will present testimony in an effort to seek a more lenient sentence, such as probation and house arrest.

Sperry was arrested on April 3, 2007, and has been free on $50,000 bond ever since. The boy told deputies Sperry grabbed him as he looked for lizards along a beach trail and forced him to perform oral sex. Deputies searched Sperry’s backpack and found two see-through male bathing suits, a condom, suntan lotion, and tooth picks.

Sperry denied the allegations until the State Attorney's Office received the DNA test results, which showed Sperry's DNA, Assistant State Attorney Steve Maresca told the judge last week. Maresca said that was when defense attorney Amira Fox filed a motion to proceed on an insanity defense and Sperry began frequent visits to doctors.

Defense attorney Jerry Berry, who is co-counsel, spent 20 minutes questioning Sperry, whose decline in health has been apparent in court. Berry needed to show Sperry fully understood the plea. He appeared confused at times.

"My mind is not working well," Sperry said at one point, sitting at the defense table and holding a cane as the boy sat in the back of the court with his mother. "... I felt that there's some definite limitations, as far as the ability to understand."

He explained his decision to plead and accept responsibility. "This defense, probably a jury might not have the capability to understand," he said, citing all the medical experts who would have testified he was involuntarily intoxicated by Mirapex and L-dopa and was unaware of his actions.

The judge asked, "Do you understand the court will hear all that evidence now?"

"Yes, sir. I think that's wonderful," Sperry replied.

He was fingerprinted, provided a DNA sample, and left with his wife and attorneys.

19-year-old man arrested in an undercover sting for him selling dozens of snakes without a license

Florida wildlife officials seized a dozen pythons and arrested a 19-year-old man in an undercover sting after getting a tip that the snakes were being sold on Craigslist without a proper license.

Investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission met Bradley Scott Dean at a gas station in New Port Richey, Fla., on Wednesday night under the guise of wanting to buy several Burmese pythons from him, MyFOXTampaBay reported.

"There was an offer, and acceptance. We arranged for a meet," Lt. Steve DeLacure told the station. "I went in an undercover capacity and met with the defendant on Wednesday evening."

DeLacure said he was acting on a tip that the snakes were being offered for sale on Craigslist, but Dean didn't have the required license to own or sell the reptiles. Investigators arrested Dean at the gas station and say they found eight snakes at his home. A total of 12 pythons were seized, according to police.

"It's not like I kept them unresponsibly [sic]," Dean told MyFOXTampaBay. "I kept them all in locked cages and in a locked room. It's not like they would have got out like that incident with the 2-year-old."

Last month, a Burmese python being kept as a pet escaped from its aquarium and strangled a 2-year-old girl in Florida as she slept in her crib.