UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

CATHERINE L. HANAWAY
United States Attorney

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NEWS RELEASE

For further information: Call Public Affairs Officer Jan Diltz at (314) 539-7719

March 2, 2009
For Immediate Release

FORMER ST. LOUIS POLICE OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO FRAUD CHARGES

St. Louis, MO: Marla A. Arinze pled guilty to a federal charge in connection with her utilization of REJIS to determine whether someone had an outstanding immigration warrant, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today.

On November 28, 2006, Marla Arinze, at that time a police officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, used the Regional Justice Information Service (REJIS) to access information about a potential outstanding arrest warrant for an immigration violation. 
           
MARLA A. ARINZE, St. Louis, pled guilty to one felony count of unauthorized access to a protected computer this morning before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw.

She now faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000, when she is sentenced on May 21, 2009.

Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Jensen, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.