TheTrenchcoat Chronicles

Tag: Minnesota

  • The victimless crime strikes again

    Man Faces Federal Charges in a Sex Ring in Minnesota:

    41-year-old Liqing Liu, a Chinese national living in Minnesota, is facing federal charges of transporting women across state lines to engage in prostitution. He ran several massage parlors, some of which that advertised on craigslist, with women that were basically slaves to him…

    Sgt. Grant Snyder of the Minneapolis Police Department, a lead investigator, said the women, all Chinese or Korean, were prohibited from leaving the place of business, kept under video surveillance, and had their passports and other forms of identification confiscated.

    The women’s poverty, language barriers and immigration status were used against them, Sergeant Snyder said, and the authorities said they were treating the women as crime victims and not criminals.

    The authorities described the patrons as mostly white upper-middle class men between 35 and 55, including doctors and business owners. They usually paid $80 a session, which the prostitutes were obligated to hand over to Mr. Liu, the police said.

    The women could negotiate with customers for more money, the police said, but their earnings were marginal at best; one illegal South Korean immigrant mentioned in the criminal complaint had to pay Mr. Liu $40 a day for room and board. He booked her airfare, later deducting it from her prostitution wages, the police said.

    Even if prostitution was legal there would still be scumbags like Liu forcing women like these into sex slavery.

  • Indictment handed down in Olson murder

    Grand jury hands up first-degree murder charges in Olson case:

    A Minnesota grand jury handed down an indictment today of first-degree murder for 19-year-old Michael John Anderson. Anderson is accused of killing 24-year-old Katherine Ann Olson after Olson answered a phony employment ad placed by Anderson.

    When Savage police interviewed Anderson, he initially denied having contact with Olson.

    Anderson then admitted to being present when Olson died. He said a friend killed the woman because he “thought it would be funny.”

    However, the evidence that’s been released mostly points to Anderson acting alone.

    After a bloodied towel – with Anderson’s name inked on it and Olson’s smashed cell phone wrapped inside – was found in a nearby Savage park, authorities picked up Anderson from his job fueling airplanes at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. His phone number was the last one called on Olson’s phone.

    Minnesota does not have the death penalty as much as this scumbag deserves it.

  • Trial date set for Anderson

    Trial Date Set in Minnesota Craigslist Murder:

    A trial date of November 27th has been set for Michael John Anderson. 19-year-old Anderson is accused of luring Katherine Ann Olson to her death by posting a phony nannying job ad on craigslist then shooting her when she responded to the ad.

  • Suspect held on $1M bail in the death of Katherine Ann Olson

    Bail set at $1 million for suspect in craigslist killing:

    Bail was set at $1M for suspected craigslist killer Michael John Anderson. He’s the suspected killer of Katherine Ann Olson whose body was found a day after she responded to a phony employment ad on craigslist. It’s alleged that Anderson was the one who took out the ad.

    An additional detail mentioned in the article is that they believe that Anderson shot her in the back of the head with a .357 Magnum.

    Police believe Olson was killed in Anderson’s house sometime after she arrived Thursday morning. Investigators found blood splatters in the man’s bedroom and on his mattress, as well as bloody drag marks down the stairs of the home.

    They also discovered a .357 Magnum and a shell casing from the gun in his room.

    During Olson’s autopsy, a bullet was found in her stomach.

    Authorities said there is no initial evidence of a sexual assault, but final results are not in, police said.

    The man initially denied having contact with the woman, but eventually admitted to being present when she was killed. He said a friend killed Olson because he “thought it would be funny.”

    At a press conference after the bail hearing, police claimed that only Anderson was involved in the killing.

    More details as they become available.

  • Craig himself on the murder of Katherine Ann Olson

    Charges expected Tuesday in Craigslist killing:

    Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist, had the following to say about the murder of Katherine Ann Olson.

    The founder of Craigslist.org believes that Olson’s death is the first killing ever linked to the website.

    “I can’t recall a single case like it,” Craig Newmark told KARE 11 News. “This is the worst that I can recall.”

    “I’d just like to express my condolences,” Newmark said by phone from California Sunday. “This is a real tragedy and we’re more eager than ever to help deal with the bad guy.”

    Newmark says Craigslist works closely with authorities to investigate crimes tied to the website. Those crimes include identity theft cases, scams, robberies and sex crimes.

    Does he not see anything wrong with the fact that these crimes are happening on his website?

  • Katherine Ann Olson and Donna Jou

    Craigslist users wary after killing of baby-sitter:

    Susan MacTavish Best of craigslist had the following to say about the murder of Katherine Ann Olson…

    “We were shocked and saddened to hear of this terrible tragedy, and our deepest sympathies are with the victim’s family and friends,” said Susan MacTavish Best, a spokeswoman for craigslist, an international network of online communities that features free classified advertising.

    Best said there’s never been a homicide linked to craigslist since it was founded 12 years ago.

    “Assuming the craigslist link is confirmed, this would be the first time,” Best said, referring to Olson’s death.

    Best said craigslist officials work with law enforcement whenever they receive a request, but she wouldn’t comment specifically about their involvement in the Olson investigation.

    I bet you think I’m going to rip her again but I’m not. Unlike when defending the erotic services section Ms. MacTavish-Best did not use this as an opportunity to tout how great craigslist is. However, this may not be the first craigslist murder. In a sort of twisted backward way but with no disrespect meant towards anyone involved there is still the matter of Donna Jou.

    Donna Jou went missing in July and was last seen leaving on a date with a guy by the name of John Burgess that she met on craigslist. Unfortunately, as of yet, she has not been found and even less, unfortunately, police are unable to charge Burgess with anything due to lack of evidence. However, it’s entirely possible that Donna Jou may be the first craigslist murder.

    Now you may think that there’s a difference between answering a personal ad and a job ad on craigslist. There is but only slightly. Predators don’t usually use job ads to attract victims but it’s not unheard of.

    This past July I posted a story about a woman who was approached sexually by a man she thought was a prospective employer.

    I guess what I’m saying is that since criminal elements lurk in the rest of craigslist it was only a matter of time before they seeped into the employment ads as well. So no matter what kind of ad you’re placing or responding to on craigslist it doesn’t hurt to be overly cautious. The old saying holds true here, just because you’re not paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.

    Be careful out there.

  • MN woman killed after responding to craigslist ad

    Online nanny ad ends in slaying:

    The employment ads on craigslist used to be the only trustworthy part of their site. They’re the only paid ads on the site. Those days are now over.

    Katherine Ann Olson was a 24-year-old from Minneapolis who had used craigslist many times before to find nanny jobs. It seemed that the last one she answered was no different. That was until her body was found in the trunk of her car Friday night. She had responded to an ad looking for a nanny that she thought was placed by a married couple in Savage, MN. The ad was actually placed by a 19-year-old man who police believe is her killer.

    Police aren’t releasing the suspect’s name or how Katherine Ann Olson was murdered. The suspect must be one sick SOB to take a paid ad out on craigslist just to kill an innocent woman.

    I’ll post more information as it becomes available.

    UPDATE: Being the expert blogger that he is Steve Huff has a more detailed post and the name of the suspect which is Michael John Anderson.

  • More on craigslist trafficking

    Web driving human trafficking:

    Our favorite website has been mentioned in the same breath as human trafficking once again.

    There was a human trafficking conference in Minnesota and this is what someone in the know had to say.

    Heather Weyker, a 10-year veteran of the St. Paul Police Department had this to say.

    “We’re on Craig’s List constantly, looking for girls who look young,” Weyker said at the conference, describing the popular online classifieds site. “They always have captors. How many 13-year-old girls think, ‘Hey, I think I’ll put myself on Craig’s List.”‘

    And this is what you’re supporting when you use a craigslist or any other kind of prostitute.

    They don’t have the option to quit their “work” without suffering physical or sexual punishment, conference participants said. They can’t even walk out the door unaccompanied by one of their captors.

    “We’re not just talking about illegal aliens or about people who are disadvantaged,” said U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose. “These are also girls from the suburbs. It can affect anyone.”

    Victimless crime my ass.