Life Insurance Settlement Investigator Surrenders
Investigator surrenders
Man accused in drug, theft, fraud counts
Emily Bittner
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 21, 2005 12:00 AM
A well-known private investigator facing charges of fraud, theft, forgery and drug possession surrendered to Maricopa County authorities on Wednesday.
Bob Owens, 42, of Phoenix, is accused of posing as a lawyer and stealing money from more than a dozen people seeking legal help.
Officials say he took their money, broke into a former business partner's storage locker and had some cocaine.
According to a 15-count indictment issued last month, Owens took tens of thousands of dollars in a scheme to defraud people accused of wrongdoing between 2000 and 2004.
Owens had an initial appearance in court Wednesday.
One of his reputed victims was the mother of a homicide suspect, who believed Owens would defend her son and gave him $10,000, records said.
Owens told the family of another defendant that he "knew people in the crime lab whom he could pay in order to make the drugs disappear," according to the indictment.
The paperwork also stated that he kept nearly $30,000 from a widow's life-insurance settlement after her husband's death, although he promised to represent her for free.
Owens is also accused of having a forged card showing that he was a Maricopa County attorney and a member of the State Bar of Arizona.
Owens, who is a familiar face in the legal community, first came to public prominence in 2000. He was the private investigator for former anchorwoman Deborah Pyburn Brewer in a stalking case. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office dropped its case against the reputed stalker after questioning whether key evidence found by Owens was real.
Owens worked with the late defense attorney Tom Thinnes, a legend among Valley lawyers who died in September. The indictment accuses Owens of breaking into Thinnes' storage locker around the time of his death.
Owens pleaded guilty in 1986 to theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was a paramedic at the time and was accused of stealing credit cards from elderly people he helped transport.
Seven years later, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and Drug Enforcement Agency asked that his sentence be reduced. He served about one quarter of his sentence and his record was later cleared.
The State Bar of Arizona recommends that people needing legal assistance verify an attorney is licensed to practice and is in good standing before hiring him or her. Contact the organization at (602) 340-7239.
"We're happy that it's being looked into and that these allegations can be investigated thoroughly," said Matt Silverman, a spokesman for the organization.
Man accused in drug, theft, fraud counts
Emily Bittner
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 21, 2005 12:00 AM
A well-known private investigator facing charges of fraud, theft, forgery and drug possession surrendered to Maricopa County authorities on Wednesday.
Bob Owens, 42, of Phoenix, is accused of posing as a lawyer and stealing money from more than a dozen people seeking legal help.
Officials say he took their money, broke into a former business partner's storage locker and had some cocaine.
According to a 15-count indictment issued last month, Owens took tens of thousands of dollars in a scheme to defraud people accused of wrongdoing between 2000 and 2004.
Owens had an initial appearance in court Wednesday.
One of his reputed victims was the mother of a homicide suspect, who believed Owens would defend her son and gave him $10,000, records said.
Owens told the family of another defendant that he "knew people in the crime lab whom he could pay in order to make the drugs disappear," according to the indictment.
The paperwork also stated that he kept nearly $30,000 from a widow's life-insurance settlement after her husband's death, although he promised to represent her for free.
Owens is also accused of having a forged card showing that he was a Maricopa County attorney and a member of the State Bar of Arizona.
Owens, who is a familiar face in the legal community, first came to public prominence in 2000. He was the private investigator for former anchorwoman Deborah Pyburn Brewer in a stalking case. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office dropped its case against the reputed stalker after questioning whether key evidence found by Owens was real.
Owens worked with the late defense attorney Tom Thinnes, a legend among Valley lawyers who died in September. The indictment accuses Owens of breaking into Thinnes' storage locker around the time of his death.
Owens pleaded guilty in 1986 to theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was a paramedic at the time and was accused of stealing credit cards from elderly people he helped transport.
Seven years later, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and Drug Enforcement Agency asked that his sentence be reduced. He served about one quarter of his sentence and his record was later cleared.
The State Bar of Arizona recommends that people needing legal assistance verify an attorney is licensed to practice and is in good standing before hiring him or her. Contact the organization at (602) 340-7239.
"We're happy that it's being looked into and that these allegations can be investigated thoroughly," said Matt Silverman, a spokesman for the organization.
posted by Life Settlement Pro at 12:38 PM
