Thanks a bunch.
Her defense attorney is going to have a picnic with that since the passport was actually left behind. Obviously she took the passport and used it, but it wasn’t exactly found with her at the time of the arrest. It was left behind in a locker. I worry he will try to get this charge dropped.
Same here. If they let her go because the Botox charge had an incorrect entry regarding her birthdate, here we go with this! Maybe they won't drop the charge, but it could become a mess of back and forth during a trial.
Respectfully, that's not how evidence works when the defendant left Witness-1's passport used to enter Costa Rica illegally (and her own passport) inside a lockbox at her hostel.
First, the US doesn't have jurisdiction in Costa Rica. Rather than charge KA for an immigration violation as evidenced by KA presenting the fraudulent document scanned during her entry, Costa Rica officials simply deported her out of the country.
The crime KA was actually charged with in the US District Court, District of New Jersey, violation of 18 USC 1544,
willfully and knowingly use, or attempt to use, a passport issued or designed for the use of another,
occurred when KA presented a fraudulent PP as her own identification for the purpose of boarding a flight to Costa Rica.
The electronic evidence of KA violating the USC Statute is secure. No other individual except KA used Witness-1's passport on May 18. Nobody else carried the fraudulent PP and coincidentally locked it next to the bunk KA slept in.
To worry the charges could be dropped, without the passport(s) in hand, is like saying a perp that steals a vehicle and leaves it abandoned in a roadside ditch can't be charged with grand theft auto because they were not apprehended inside the vehicle! In order to convict the perp, the prosecutor only needs to prove the defendant took or drove a vehicle that belonged to someone else, without their permission, and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the vehicle.
Also, a US Passport at all times remains the property of the United States and must be returned to the U.S. Government upon demand. By all accounts, with the assistance of Costa Rican officials, the US Passports for Witness-1 and KA are secure and in evidence.
For this case alone, KA is facing charges in two different federal courts as well as the State District Court -- it's the norm and prosecutors do not become confused. KA's theft case will not impede her murder case.
Arrest warrants do not typically expire. KA's outstanding warrant dated April 12, 2018, for Theft of Service, was corrected and executed by Houston police on July 2, 2022.
KA already appeared before a Harris County Magistrate on July 2, 2022, and once KA was charged in Travis County and committed to the custody of the Sheriff of Travis County, the warrant was canceled -- she's in custody! The charges haven't gone away, the case remains active.
County Court at Law #5
Case Summary
Case No. C-1-CR-18-150969
ST v ARMSTRONG,KAITLIN MARIE
Location: County Court at Law #5
Judicial Officer: County Court at Law, #5
Filed on: 04/30/2018
Case Type: | Misdemeanor |
Subtype: | WARRANT ARREST |
Case Status: | 07/02/2022 Active |
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