MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #4

[cluciano63]

I just had an old "Forensic Files" on and the offender in the case, who was known primarily as a peeping Tom in his neighborhood ended up raping and killing a neighbor woman and when arrested, child porn was found on his computer. So apparently some offenders are not so choosy in their areas of "specialty" and maybe certain RSO's should not be overlooked due to their pattern being young boys, etc...

 

[helpful]

What the...? Did someone threaten the president? I don't get it.

The Secret Service is responsible for investigating financial crimes, currency counterfeiting, and the production of false identification documents in addition to their presidential protection duties. The agency was actually formed to protect the financial systems of the US; the presidential stuff didn't happen until William McKinley was assassinated in 1901.

I'm just putting this out there. Maybe LE have a suspect in mind?

 

[cluciano63]

http://www.secretservice.gov/partner_ncmec.shtml

Secret Service is partnered with Missing and Exploited children...so perhaps can offer assistance for adults as well.

 

[bessie]

As I posted earlier the SS also helps with missing persons cases, according to some sites on google. They perform forensics and other work and have been on other cases, including, I believe, Kyron Horman.

You're right about Kyron, clu. Just like now, many of us thought "WTH gives?" when we read the SS would play a role in the search effort. So I did some research. My memory's a bit vague on the specifics at the moment. Iirc, the SS oversees analyzing the data which flows through NCMEC. I'll look through my bookmarks for the links. I'm sure I saved them.

 

[fruity]

Probably due to the multiple previous reports of gas station attendants seeing a creeper in a grey/silver van sitting and watching them? those were initially reported to be out of Grand Haven and Spring Lake, due South of Norton Shores in Ottawa County.

Is this grey van the same one on CCTV footage? I'm 99% sure it is ...

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/national/search-for-jessica-continues

 

[Wolf Dreamer]

Is this grey van the same one on CCTV footage? I'm 99% sure it is ...

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/national/search-for-jessica-continues

the one parked? No. The suspect van goes past on the road behind - there was some discussion of this in an earlier thread.

 

[mj12]

The Secret Service is now involved? I don't recall ever hearing about the Secret Service getting involved in any type of criminal investigation before. It's always the FBI. Either that's the secret part or there is something we don't know about.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/loca...ing?ref=scroller&categoryId=10001&status=true

It's the x files division. Mulder and Scully have been called in

Well the equivalent of it. It's amazing there is no breakthrough seeing how accurate the sketch was and LE being extremely confident about the case.

 

[finishstrong]

Here is one other missing person case the Secret Service is currently working with... Karen Swift. Here's a news article snip. Interesting.



http://www.stategazette.com/story/1889980.html

He also noted Karen Swift's cell phones were recovered during the investigation and the Dyer County Sheriff's Department is working with the United States Secret Service in processing information used to pinpoint her movements around the time of her disappearance.

"This processing with the Secret Service may provide highly detailed data, which may include the time of every movement that was made before, during and after her murder," said Box.

 

[southsleuth]

Secret agent. What exactly is a secret agent? Is it an actual job title or another term for under cover agent?

I can't imagine the term "secret agents" being used. Now, Secret Service Agents are part of the US Dept of the Treasury. They handle money frauds and such..credit card? Lottery?

 

[geegeesmom]

It also mentions that the Secret Service works with enhancements. That would tie in with the surveillance videos.

 

[jenstar]

So, I've been playing "catch-up" and went through yesterday's posts. Ya'll are doing a great job BTW keeping everyone informed. My question is, Did anything pan out on the security cameras at Meijer? Did LE say anything about it?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

What are the primary investigative functions of the FBI?

The FBI’s investigative authority is the broadest of all federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI has divided its investigations into a number of programs, such as domestic and international terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, cyber, public corruption, civil rights, organized crime/drugs, white-collar crime, violent crimes and major offenders, and applicant matters. The FBI’s investigative philosophy emphasizes close relations and information sharing with other federal, state, local, and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies. A significant number of FBI investigations are conducted in concert with other law enforcement agencies or as part of joint task forces.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/faqs

 

[WideOpen]

What are the primary investigative functions of the FBI?

The FBI’s investigative authority is the broadest of all federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI has divided its investigations into a number of programs, such as domestic and international terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, cyber, public corruption, civil rights, organized crime/drugs, white-collar crime, violent crimes and major offenders, and applicant matters. The FBI’s investigative philosophy emphasizes close relations and information sharing with other federal, state, local, and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies. A significant number of FBI investigations are conducted in concert with other law enforcement agencies or as part of joint task forces.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/faqs

It is my understanding the FBI is not actively involved, but are being consulted. The Secret Service is actively involved with men on the ground.

Meanwhile, federal officials have also been notified of the case, but aren’t currently investigating, Shaw said. The FBI was contacted and made aware of the apparent abduction.
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2013/05/jessica_heeringa_case_still_ve.html

Daniel Shaw, tells us United States Secret Service Agents and detectives with the Ottawa County Sheriff's department have been called in to help find the 25-year-old woman.
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/muskegon_county/ns-chief-secret-service-investigating

jmo

I think the SS are tracking cell pings from the area that night.

 

[Flutterby80]

It's pretty obvious that the reporter meant secret service agents and not secret agents. Easy to see now that we know the secret service is involved, but at first it seemed a super odd thing to say. I have never followed a case so closely before. Is it common for the press to release so much, for lack of better word, crap? Yesterday fox17 had a big headline "Breaking news-$400 found in victim's purse". Breaking news? We all knew this by day 2.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

It is my understanding the FBI is not actively involved, but are being consulted. The Secret Service is actively involved with men on the ground.

jmo

I think the SS are tracking cell pings from the area that night.

Respectfully <snipped> I know, and that's why I posted the above information. This case does not meet the criteria for direct involvement by the FBI, but they have been consulted by local LE and other agencies that are working the case. Federal LE agencies serve specific purposes and become involved in local cases when their expertise is required. If the FBI was directly involved in the investigation of Jessica's disappearance, she would appear on their Missing Persons/Kidnapping list, and she does not. :moo:

 

[vega]

The Secret Service is also a function of the Treasury, so financial fraud like counterfeiting falls under their domain. They could have been called in due to the lottery ticket issue, but I'm not sure if that would fall under their jurisdiction unless counterfeiting a lottery ticket is also considered counterfeiting currency in some way. Or, there could be a slew of other things they've subsequently discovered about potential motives for her disappearance that we're not yet privy to.

Jessica's connection to the lottery ticket fraud case is certainly a viable investigative path in this case of her disappearance. The secret service is a good investigative resource to follow this path. At this point, given the facts as we know them, it is just as likely her abduction was connected to the lottery fraud case as to any other possible reason for her abduction/disappearance.

 

[bessie]

You're right about Kyron, clu. Just like now, many of us thought "WTH gives?" when we read the SS would play a role in the search effort. So I did some research. My memory's a bit vague on the specifics at the moment. Iirc, the SS oversees analyzing the data which flows through NCMEC. I'll look through my bookmarks for the links. I'm sure I saved them.

Quoting my own post to add links for reference. Might not apply in this case, but good info, just the same.

As part of the 1994 Crime Bill, Congress mandated the U.S. Secret Service to provide forensic/technical assistance in matters involving missing and exploited children. The Secret Service offers this assistance to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. On April 30, 2003, President George W. Bush signed the PROTECT Act of 2003, known as the "Amber Alert Bill," which gave full authorization to the U.S. Secret Service in this area.

The forensic services utilized by the Secret Service include a number of specialties

http://www.secretservice.gov/forensics.shtml

http://tinyurl.com/DOJ-Missing-Exploitd-Children

 

[Flutterby80]

Well whatever the reason for SS involvement, it can only help. Many of us have been hoping the FBI would come to town. This seems like six of one, half a dozen of the other. Glad to hear NSPD and MSP have the help.

 

[jenstar]

Lottery Fraud and Kidnapping, is a federal crime, I believe. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) So I think it's only right they bring in the Feds.

 

[CatFancier]

It's pretty obvious that the reporter meant secret service agents and not secret agents. Easy to see now that we know the secret service is involved, but at first it seemed a super odd thing to say. I have never followed a case so closely before. Is it common for the press to release so much, for lack of better word, crap? Yesterday fox17 had a big headline "Breaking news-$400 found in victim's purse". Breaking news? We all knew this by day 2.

Unfortunately, I think it is. When there is no real breaking news but the public has a high interest, local MSM especially seems to bump it like we do on threads.