Wisc. Acacia + computer = phony tickets
 

Following inquiry, police arrest student in parking ticket fraud
By Maureen Backman
Published: Tuesday, September 14, 2004
UW-Madison student Anthony Gallagher was charged in Dane County Circuit Court Monday with obstructing an officer following a police investigation since April 2003. Police found he and an individual identified as Nate Grede had been placing fake parking tickets on windshields and collecting payments for approximately six weeks.
The tickets were titled "Capitol and Isthmus District Parking Enforcement, Notice of Parking Violation" and were spreadsheet-generated, according to the criminal complaint.
Police first became aware of the fake tickets when Timothy Johnson telephoned police in April 2003, questioning a ticket he received at 222 Langdon St. for parking on private property. According to the complaint, Johnson tried to pay the citation by mail, but his check was returned as non-deliverable.
Madison Police Sgt. Mark Brown noted in the criminal complaint that when Johnson showed him the ticket, he realized the wording on top of the citation should have read "University of Wisconsin Madison Notice of Parking Violation."
After further investigation, Brown reported the number on Johnson's citation was actually a citation number issued to Gallagher by University of Wisconsin Police Department Parking Enforcement. Gallagher was cited Feb. 17, 2003 for No Permit.
Gallagher was a member of the Acacia Fraternity, 222 Langdon St., and according to the criminal complaint, police arrived at the fraternity to investigate Gallagher's involvement May 9, 2003.
"Anthony Gallagher is now an alumni of our fraternity and has been officially suspended," said Acacia President Michael Maclean. "That means he's lost all privileges as a member and is now facing expulsion. We in no way condone what he did."
Maclean added the fraternity had no knowledge of Gallagher's actions until the police came to their house.
"We're dealing with it as best we can," he said.

Hey MacLean, he's now an ALUMNUS.

People get suspended/expelled from a fraternity for writing fake parking tickets? For real?

I think it's the fact that they were actually collecting $$$. Of course, if the recipients were too stupid to realize university parking tix should have the uni's name somewhere on them, it's their own fault.

What do you want to be there's a previous history with that member?

I'm fairly certain the reaction from my chapter wouldn't be too different from that.

Actually, no, no prior history. Thank you Wisconsin Circuit Court webpage . . .

And while I can see an active getting thrown out of a frat for behavior like this, it seems surprising that an alumnUS would be subjected to the same standards.

I can see an alumnUS being held to those standards only if what they did was a felony. Is what he did considered a felony in Wisconsin?

I don't think that the alleged commission of a felony should result in an alumnus being expelled from a fraternity. First of all, he has only be CHARGED. Isn't it kind of crappy for the fraternity to ASSUME that he's guilty before he's had his day in court? It may be hard to believe, but sometimes people are charged with crimes they didn't commit. Even if he did it, though, I don't think it automatically follows that he's undeserving of brotherhood.

But then of course I have mad love for TEH FELONS.

We have no idea what else was going on internally...i.e. he might have been a brother that's done bad things before no one could stand that they wanted to get rid of anyway, and here was a reason. Not that I agree with that, just trying to come up with a rationale.

Plus, the article says the police went to the fraternity house to interview the guy. Makes me think the guy WAS active, but when the fraternity heard about this they moved him to alumnUS status.

A few years ago on my campus we had a fraternity get in some trouble for alcohol-related charges (the cops found out when a pledge showed up in the hospital.) Anyway, the (national) fraternity disbanded the chapter... and all the chapter members became alumni.

I think it has something to do with legal issues.... I think the responsibilities of Nationals (and legal ramifications) are different if the member in question is an alumn vs. active. Plus, they probably don't want Ticket McTicketer in the meetings when they're discussing what to do with him next.



Oh. And the tickets ARE illegal. I think $200 makes it a felony (anyone know?) so if he was writing tickets for $20/apiece and collected 10 of them, he's probably facing charges on general fraud, maybe impersonating a police officer, maybe mail fraud.

Why is granting him alumnus status considered "he is no longer a member here?" Why not cancel his membership completely? Wouldn't that be truly cancelling his membership? As an alumnus, he is still a member.

Perhaps they know that he is in fact guilty? Perhaps they've gone through that process internally and to them, he's guilty? In my national organization, the commission of a felony is automatic grounds for expulsion. Also, there is Conduct unbecoming of a Sigma Nu (I paraphrased that) -- also grounds for removal.

It's very possible that ACACIA has similar provisions and is now going through the motions to remove a member that offers them nothing and has brought shame to their house.