motherhucker 0 #1 October 16, 2003 Petaluma jumper sentenced in thefts Man gets 7-year term, blames series of burglaries on drug addiction October 16, 2003 By A. Reporter THE News Paper Petaluma's Joe Blow is a world-class base jumper, a daredevil skydiver who leaps off skyscrapers, bridges and other tall objects. But Blow, 41, crashed to earth in Superior Court on Wednesday when he was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for a theft spree that spanned eight months. Blow told Judge Raima Ballinger he was addicted to drugs when he committed a series of burglaries at Petaluma's airport and used stolen personal information to loot victims' credit card accounts. Blow also was accused of using a hidden video camera to spy on women in the airport's restroom. Blow was free on bail in those cases when he broke into a Petaluma home last May and stole more than $10,000 in cash, jewelry and other valuables, police said. Blow was arrested five days later in Arizona after he tried to sell a car stolen from the Petaluma home. In August, Blow pleaded no contest to charges of burglary, identity theft and receiving stolen property. Blow 's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Karen Silver, said her client was a professional skydiver and business owner at Petaluma's airport before drug addiction led him to crime. His most famous stunt was a 2000 jump off the world's tallest building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He also competed in base jumping contests in the United States. Base stands for building, antennae, span and Earth, and refers to skydiving off fixed objects, such as skyscrapers, bridges, cliffs and communications towers. Silver urged the judge to place Blow on probation, saying he has no prior felony record and he needs treatment for his drug problem. But Deputy District Attorney Maria Leftwich said Blow should go to prison because he victimized many people. Alden Hennings, a Petaluma man whose Lombardi Avenue home was looted by Blow , said his family still is feeling the effects. He said Blow took keepsakes that haven't been recovered. "He has stolen things that can't be replaced," Hennings said. Blow apologized for the thefts, pointing to his drug problem. "It took over my life," he said. "I hurt a lot of people." Ballinger said Blow deserves to go to prison because he was charged with 19 different offenses and the break-ins occurred over a period of many months. "There's so much here that I can't ignore it," she said. The judge sentenced Blow to the maximum term of seven years and four months in prison. Ballinger said she agrees that Blow needs help for his drug problem "but the court feels it's more important to protect society." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
outrager 6 #2 October 16, 2003 More details have been posted here: http://www.dropzone.com/forum/Skydiving_C1/General_Skydiving_Discussions_F18/No-contest_plea_in_thefts_at_airport_--_Press_Clips_P622567/ bsbd! Yuri. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dd0g 0 #3 October 16, 2003 Does anyone have postal mail information for people to send correspondence to him while he is incarcerated? If so, could you post it for everyone so those who wish to can stay in touch. Peace, D-d0g+~+~+~+~ But this, surely, was the glory that no spirits, canine or human, had ever clearly seen, the light that never was on land or sea, and yet is glimpsed by the quickened mind everywhere. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
