Former St. Louis Police Officer Indicted on Fraud Charges

St. Louis, MO: Marla A. Arinze was indicted on fraud charges in connection with her utilization of REJIS to determine if her friends had outstanding immigration warrants, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today.

According to the indictment, 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 potential outstanding arrest warrants for immigration violations. 

MARLA A. ARINZE, St. Louis, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of unauthorized access to a protected computer and one felony count of mail fraud.  The indictment was returned January 8, but remained sealed until the arrest of the defendant earlier today.

If convicted, unauthorized access to a protected computer carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

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.

The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.