Two Arrested for Theft of Government Property, Bank Fraud, and Identity Theft

Donald E. Oswald, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis FBI Field Office, announces that Milton Carlton Rucker, Jr., 38, and Tania Marie Thompson, also known as Tania Marie Carson, 34, both from Minneapolis, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jeffrey J. Keyes this afternoon in St. Paul, following their federal arrests this morning. They had been detained since this past Saturday at the Hennepin County Jail after being arrested early Saturday morning by Minneapolis Police Officers. The federal complaint filed today alleges that Rucker and Thompson stole government property, committed bank fraud, and committed identification theft.

At approximately 4:40 p.m. on July 22, 2011, a Ford Explorer owned by an FBI special agent was broken into while parked near 1999 Franklin Avenue West in Minneapolis. The agent’s duty pistol, badge, credentials, personal credit cards, a watch, and other items were stolen from a duffel bag located in the vehicle. The agent reported the stolen credit cards immediately to his financial institution. Soon thereafter, the financial institution advised the agent that one of the stolen credit cards had been used at a Holiday gas station, and an attempt had been made to use the credit card at a Target store in Brooklyn Park. Investigation by FBI agents, in conjunction with Target and Holiday personnel, revealed that the same woman appeared to be using the credit card. Film from a video surveillance camera at a Holiday gas station in Minneapolis was reviewed, and it revealed that the woman entered a sedan bearing Minnesota license plate 972GDA. A Minnesota Department of Vehicle Services check of that license plate revealed the vehicle to be a 1999 tan Buick Century sedan registered to Ashley Nicole Bastin, of 223 Cedar Lake Road South in Minneapolis.

A Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) report from June 21, 2011, revealed that the Buick was connected to a black male and a white female who were suspected of breaking into another vehicle and stealing a purse, a cell phone, credit cards, and other items that day at 3712 Calhoun Parkway West in Minneapolis. An MPD report, dated June 30, 2011, indicated that Bastin may be involved in thefts from vehicles with an individual named Milton Rucker. A Bloomington Police Department (BPD) report had described a failed vehicle break-in attempt at a Life Time Fitness location. A witness there observed a white female and a black male leave the area at a high rate of speed in a Buick bearing Minnesota license plates 972GDA after the witness saw them near the witness’s vehicle, which had a window broken out. A BPD detective contacted Bastin, who told the detective that Rucker was using the Buick, but she was not involved. The witness from the Life Time Fitness identified Rucker from a photo spread, and advised Bastin was not the white female who had been with Rucker.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on July 22, 2011, investigators observed the Buick parked in the driveway of 140 Cedar Lake Road in Minneapolis. Investigators knocked on the front door of the apartment building, and a woman matching the description of the woman from video surveillance footage at the Brooklyn Park Target store earlier in the day came to the door. She was placed under arrest by MPD officers, and was identified as Tania Marie Thomson, also known as Tania Marie Carson. Investigators then called into the apartment building, and a black male, identified as Rucker, came out from apartment #2. He was also arrested by MPD officers.

At approximately 2:15 a.m. on July 23, 2011, a Hennepin County search warrant was obtained for apartment #2 at 140 Cedar Lake Road in Minneapolis. A number of evidence items were recovered, including the FBI sgent’s watch and evidence from another vehicle break-in that had occurred on July 12, 2011. Other evidence was also recovered from a search of the Buick.

Following her arrest, Thompson was advised of her Miranda rights, which she waived, and she made a statement to investigators, in which she implicated herself and Rucker in the theft from the FBI agent’s vehicle. She made another statement on July 25, 2011, further implicating herself and Rucker in that theft, as well as five to eight other thefts from vehicles over the past five months. Thompson provided information to investigators which led to the recovery of the FBI agent’s credentials in a garbage can in Minneapolis. Bastin was also interviewed on July 25, 2011, and she said she registered the Buick in her name at Rucker’s request.

The FBI agent’s duty pistol was recovered earlier today by the Brooklyn Park Police Department. Details of the recovery of the weapon are not immediately available. The FBI agent’s badge still has not been recovered.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Keyes signed a federal criminal complaint today before the initial appearance in federal court for Rucker and Thompson. Judge Keyes also authorized the FBI to obtain DNA swabs from the defendants for potential comparison to recovered items of evidence. Thompson will have a preliminary/detention hearing before Judge Keyes on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in St. Paul. Rucker’s preliminary/detention hearing will be before Judge Keyes on Friday at 2:30 in St. Paul.

The investigation has been a joint effort between the Minneapolis Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department, personnel from Target and Holiday, and the FBI.

The charges contained in a complaint or indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.