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Former Secret Service Agent Unsuccessfully Contests Five Sentencing Adjustments Involving Intended Loss, Vulnerable Victim, Abuse of Trust, Obstructio

By Candace Hom, Melinda Ghilardi, Nancy Rimmer, Sarah Gannett, Renee Pietropaolo and Tieffa Harper

In United States v. Dullum, No. 07-4502, March 13, 2009, the Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court?s ruling on five sentencing adjustments including; intended loss, vulnerable victim, abuse of trust, obstruction of justice, and acceptance of responsibility in this mail and bank fraud case. The most interesting fact about this case is that the defendant was a Secret Service Special Agent In Newark and an active member of his New Jersey church when the offenses were committed.Dullum befriended two fellow church members who were recovering alcoholics/drug addicts, and were "a little slow", and volunteered to serve as their financial advisor. The Government maintained that it was in that capacity that Dullum forged one of the victim?s signatures on her will, did not inform the deceased?s family that he was acting as the executor of her estate, made misrepresentations about the value of the estate, transferred money form the estate?s bank account into his person account, and produced a fabricated $20,000 promissory note made out to him by the deceased...continue to full post

Full post as published by Third Circuit Blog on March 26, 2009 (boomark / email).