Saline man who faced 13 identity theft charges and skipped out on bail sentenced to probation, boot camp
A Saline man who fled to New York after being arrested on a number of fraud charges in June was sentenced to 3 years of probation and boot camp on Monday.
Curtis Sandig, 24, was originally extradited from California to Michigan to face 13 charges after police said he took people’s personal information, opened credit card and bank accounts and then used that information to buy televisions, computers, furniture and other items. After being arraigned on just 2 of the charges due to a clerical error, Sandig fled to Buffalo, N.Y., where he was arrested again and extradited to Michigan.
Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Melinda Morris also ordered Sandig to pay more than $5,800 in restitution for all three cases that were brought against him. Sandig was also ordered to pay more than $1,750 in additional fees related to the case, including court costs and attorney fees.
Sandig apologized to the court for “wasting taxpayer dollars” during the attempts to apprehend him. He also apologized to his victims and family. He said going to boot camp and avoiding jail time, will give him a chance to straighten out his life.
“I’d like to thank the court for giving me a chance to turn my life around,” Sandig said.
Sandig faced 2 counts of identity theft and using a computer to commit a crime, 3 counts of false statement of identity, 3 counts of making an unauthorized credit card application with a financial institution and 6 counts of financial transaction device fraud. He faced 1 charge of absconding from bail after fleeing Michigan.
Sandig was using Michigan's medical marijuana form in order to steal his victims' identity and committed multiple frauds amounting to about $7,500, investigators said.
The clerical error occurred when Sandig was arraigned April 25 at Washtenaw County Jail on just 2 charges, allowing him to be freed after posting just $350 in bail. Authorities believe that if Sandig had been arraigned on all 13 original charges, his bail would have been much higher.
Sandig was arrested by authorities on June 28 in Buffalo and brought back to Michigan. He pleaded guilty to the crimes.
Morris said she accepted the recommendation from the defense to send Sandig to boot camp instead of jail because it represented the best chance for him to rehabilitate himself. However, she told him that if he ventured off the path set out in his sentence, he could be facing 7 years in prison.
Sandig will not be allowed to possess or drink alcohol or illegal drugs during his probation, Morris said.
“I will alert you now: If you don’t comply with the agreement and complete the boot camp, you could be going to prison,” she said.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
soldierswife86
Sat, Dec 22, 2012 : 1:13 a.m.
For anyone is is viewing this article, I have high respect for the reporter, I understand its your job and people should be aware of anything like this, please you are hurting my family by posting this online. Trying to get help for christmas for our family, babies and moving on with our life with new friends and this pops up. Everyone makes mistakes in their life, this was his first and yes he is on probation paying back everything and still struggling to sustain a growing loving family. No its ridiculous to have all those counts against him for one mistake over credit with two neighbors, one who did nothing but talk bad about his family being poor the other shouldnt have been involved I agree. Saline PD said they could try to work with him and waive it, but he wanted to see his firstborn and every lawyer was telling him different, why he left before he decided to turn himself in twice. His mistake was trying to provide for his family, buying things for his apartment, having a 8mth pregnant wife, small town with no jobs, a veteran that just broke down to pieces and has no family here in michigan but his disabled mother, one county away. His brother died in Iraq, he needed faith and a chance to turn his life around, that is what judge morris sincerely saw. Pick out your criminals right, hes not one. Wrong place, wrong time and he's proving it every day. Have a heart, a lotta people end up in jail for stupid reasons, you honestly cant say you know a person enough until you meet them. His wife and family
Michael K.
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 7:11 a.m.
This blood lust is the reason I come to this site less and less often. The question here is - what works? Especially in a case like this where there may be underlying substance abuse issues FWIW, that 7 year sentence he is facing if he didn't turn his life around is the same length as I have seen for manslaughter. Given that Michigan has more people in prison per capita than any other state, and spends more per capita on prisons than any other state, can y'all tell me again - who do you want in jail, this kid or a violent offender? We can't send everybody, though I k ow y'all would like to .... "Long-term, reducing recidivism and the length of prison sentences in Michigan is key to cutting corrections costs, most experts agree. Michigan historically has had an incarceration rate far above the national average; in 2007 it was 499 inmates per 100,000 population, or 10 percent above the national average."
Doug
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
What does it take to get a predator off the streets?
mojo
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 1:58 a.m.
A CCW and lots of practice rounds!
Grimey
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
Haha! Commenters are funny. Caught and convicted (nonviolent) offender is sentenced to bootcamp and this article gets 30 comments. Another article about an innocent middle-aged bystander being shot in the leg and no one was apprehended gets... 6 comments. Tuh! What, no one has an opinion about shooters roaming the streets? But these armchair judges all have an opinion they just MUST voice about dispensaries, guns and ducklings...
RJA
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 6:19 p.m.
We could sure use some HARD CORE TOUGH JUDGES in the system!
tinkerbell
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
Judge Morris and Defense Attorney Steve Adams have a strange alliance. Fortunately Judge Morris can't run for Judge again. Let's hope the voters don't put someone else like her in office.
Bertha Venation
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 5:23 p.m.
I didn't even have to read the article. I KNEW it was Judge Morris. Can't wait to get rid of her, City Council AND King John!
Jack
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2:17 p.m.
Wow, what a tough bunch you are! I assume you are willing and able to pay for all the new jails that will be necessary for throwing everyone in one who commits a crime. I'm not. If his record is clean other than this spree, he should be given a chance to clean up his life. That's what probation is for. Albeit not a child, he's young nonetheless. And nonviolent. Adults in their 50s get second chances if they have a clean record. Why should this young man be any different? Jails cost a lot of money and often are not the best solution.
Grimey
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 8:04 p.m.
@ eone; and we want you to pay for his room and board in prison. Got a spare $20,000 to spend every year until you think this nonviolent criminal has "learned his lesson"? No? Bootcamp doesn't sound so bad now does it?
Doug
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 8:01 p.m.
Why should this young man be any different? He skips bail and the state. You bleeding heart liberals would allow the streets to run rampant with criminals.
tinkerbell
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 5:48 p.m.
He had a chance when he fled to CA. Then he had another chance when he fled to NY. So he's on his third chance. By the way folks, Boot Camp is not the tough program it once was. It's now a powder puff program Thanks to the Dept of Corrections.
eone
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 3:47 p.m.
No we want him to live in your house!
Gordon
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 1:20 p.m.
Certainly our esteemed criminal is either mentally challenged or expert on the the criminal justice system. Can't tell which from the article; but it is interesting that he is unable to avoid the police. Has to be a degree of a complete lack of awarness on his part. The sentence? Wishful thinking. Seems to me the criminal has never been held accountable for his actions and merrily goes about creating havoc for others. Who is naive? The criminal? The system seems to still treat him as a child. Cases like this begin to make me believe the sheriff in Arizona may run a better prison then what we have here.
eone
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 12:49 p.m.
What's up with that LITE sentence?????
Roy Munson
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 12:45 p.m.
Her term is up January 2013. A lot of people, myself included, are pretty clueless when it comes to some of the judges on the ballot. Melinda Morris is one name I certainly will know when the time comes. MELINDA MORRIS NEEDS TO GO!!!!
Roy Munson
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 12:47 p.m.
My bad, she is done at the end of this term. Thank God. All you criminals out there better hurry up and get to work before then.
Sallyxyz
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2:59 a.m.
Where is the photo of this perp? Does AA dot com have a problem with posting photos of criminals? Many crime stories on this website don't post photos and I'd like to know the reason.
Sallyxyz
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2:56 a.m.
Anyone want to start a recall campaign for Melinda Morris? This is just one more example of the "slap on the wrist" justice being levied in A2 in this court. It's just ludicrous. Maybe she should be a victim of one of these crimes. Maybe she should have had her identity stolen and have to face the years and expense it takes to restore one's credit and good name. "Sandig faced 2 counts of identity theft and using a computer to commit a crime, 3 counts of false statement of identity, 3 counts of making an unauthorized credit card application with a financial institution and 6 counts of financial transaction device fraud. He faced 1 charge of absconding from bail after fleeing Michigan. Sandig was using Michigan's medical marijuana form in order to steal his victims' identity and committed multiple frauds amounting to about $7,500, investigators said." And this thug in training gets PROBATION????? Let's start a recall for Morris now.
Roadman
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 6:29 a.m.
It has already been researched after being suggested by many citizens. The Michigan Constitution as well as state statute bars recalls against judges in courts of record in this state. Judges Morris, Connors, and Brown would have recall petitions circulated against them years ago but for the constitutional and state law prohibitions that protect judicial officers from recall proceedings.
Sallyxyz
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 3:02 a.m.
Oh that's right, he got "boot camp" and not jail in addition to the probation. How quaint. A stiff prison sentence should have been part of this. Without real consequences, these thugs in training will go on to much more serious offenses.
Roadman
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2 a.m.
Fortunately, Ol' Melinda's term expires 12/31/12 and she is age-barred from runing for another term. But I believe the defendant and his counsel must have been joyous upon learning Morris as drawn as the trial judge. Remember she gave Mark Koernke, local militia advocate six years in prison from running away from a state trooper - but the politics of Koernke likely don't make one popular in A2 during criminal sentencing.
George Ralph
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 1:53 a.m.
Judge Melinda Morris ought to be fired for her injustice that she does on the bench. Just let the criminals walk and make the victms suffer again. I just wish she was a victim one time so she could experience what we go through. This is not the first time and won't be the last until we get her out of office.
Roadman
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 6:31 a.m.
She's age-barred from running for another term - which ends on 12/31/12. Washtenaw citzens will have to endure about 1 1/2 years more of Melinda.
Elaine F. Owsley
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 12:25 a.m.
Judge Morris strikes again!! Giving us back the very people we have paid our police and prosecutors to save us from. I'll be there are felons who would pay to have her judge their cases. Talk about an easy out!!!
BenWoodruff
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
Judge Morris has never met a criminal she didn't like. The last sentence says it all, "you COULD be going to prison.". Under Judge Morris, not likely.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 11 p.m.
Ms. Morris has to go....she has a record of going easy on people who have broken the law. Why does she remain?
Bertha Venation
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 5:24 p.m.
She's a pushover. Can't wait to get rid of her!
golfer
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.
13 identity theft charges and he get to roam out in public. then skips town. get justice system we have?
1bigbud
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 10:28 p.m.
Ok Whats wrong with J town for this 24 yr old You know it wont get any better It was ok for our King KK No probation Make it all jail time Again i want on the jury
Jeff Renner
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2:28 a.m.
It appears that there was actually no jury verdict - he pleaded guilty. I stand by my comment nonetheless.
Jeff Renner
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2:15 a.m.
I don't understand what you are posting. What is "J town?" What is "King KK?" It would help your argument if you were clearer. As far as wanting to be on the jury - juries don't determine sentences, judges do. The jury found him guilty. What more could you do as a member of the jury? For those who find fault with Judge Morris' sentences, what is important is the recidivism rates for those she sentences. If they go the straight and narrow after completing their sentences, then surely what you perceive as overly lenient sentences is not a problem. Please document to the contrary.