Essential Estrogen

Federal and state charges have been filed against 19 people, residents of both Nebraska and Iowa, following a year-long undercover investigation into vehicle thefts in the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas.

Last January, officers with the Iowa State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a store front called "Chicago Imports" in Council Bluffs. The goal was to create a location where undercover law enforcement officers could survey and document the sale of stolen property, specifically vehicles. In Omaha, for example, a total of 3,433 vehicle thefts were reported in 2006 and 3,211 thefts were reported through November 2007.

The project, dubbed "Operation Tow Truck," allowed officers to make 84 transactions, some of which included the sale and purchase of multiple items -- 62 vehicles, 22 guns, 30 construction items, six motorcycles, four jet skis, two boats and various illegal drugs. The items had been reported stolen from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and Texas during incidents that spanned from March 2006 to December 2007.

To purchase the stolen goods, officers expended $70,900. The estimated value of the stolen property, not including the illicit drugs, sits at more than $1.4 million.

Chicago Imports was open for nine months, closing its doors on Nov. 1, 2007. Officers continued to make transactions at other locations once the store closed, in order to collect more information on several of the subjects. According to law enforcement, it became apparent that there was an organized network of criminals, not random walk-ins, who were patrons of the store front.

As of 2:30 p.m. today, 19 people have been officially charged as a direct consequence of their interaction with Chicago Imports and the undercover officers who staffed the store. Federal charges levied against 12 people in both Nebraska and Iowa are interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, receipt or sale of a stolen motor vehicle, distribution of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, felon in possession of a firearm and sale and possession of stolen firearms. Identities of those facing federal charges are being kept private, pending their appearance before a federal judge.

The seven people charged in Pottawattamie County are Aaron Christiansen (36 of Council Bluffs), Danielle Frazier (20 of Glenwood), Joyce Hansen (27 of Omaha), John Kincaid (44 of Omaha), Anthony Foster (19 of Omaha), Danny Hulett (35 of Council Bluffs) and Daniel Kennedy (22 of Omaha). All face first degree theft charges. Christiansen, Kincaid and Hulett also face charges of ongoing criminal conduct. Frazier has been charged with delivery of a simulated substance while Foster is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance.

The covert operation was undertaken by the Iowa State Patrol, the FBI, National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, Council Bluffs Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, the Department of Public Safety Intelligence Bureau, Southwest Iowa Region 4 Fusion Center, Sioux City Region 1 Fusion Center, S.W.I.N.E. Task Force, Law Enforcement Intelligence Network, Pottawattamie County Attorney, Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation and Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Douglas County (Nebraska) Attorney, Washington County (Nebraska) Sheriff's Office, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska.

The two most expensive vehicles recovered by the operation are a 2006 Yukon Denali worth $42,590 (officers paid $1,600) and a 2007 Jeep Commander worth $31,005 (officers paid $1,200).