Officer Stelle Saves The Day

Fugitive caught at her job in Oregon courtroom

ID-theft case - Phuong Anh Ly translated for non-native speakers in court

Saturday, February 14, 2009 AIMEE GREEN and STEVE MAYESThe Oregonian Staff

Kelly Aimone was a familiar face in county courthouses throughout the state, where she worked for the Oregon Judicial Department as a freelance interpreter.

Aimone, who translated for Vietnamese speakers accused of crimes, had an unforgettable smile and long black hair sweeping down her back. She was easy to talk to and brought treats for courthouse employees.

So many were jolted when she was arrested Monday morning as she walked through the front doors of the Multnomah County courthouse amid the usual stream of judges, attorneys and defendants arriving for hearings.

Aimone, who turned out to be Phuong Anh Ly, has been on the lam for nearly four years, authorities say, fleeing from prosecutors who say she stole the identity of one of her Vietnamese-speaking clients when she worked as a translator for a medical clinic.

Court records show Ly has a criminal history stretching back to age 18 that includes five convictions for second-degree theft, criminal trespass, criminal mistreatment or negotiating a bad check. She most recently was indicted in 2005 on accusations of identity theft, forgery and giving false information to police, but she disappeared before her first court hearing.

She was hired in August 2007 as a freelance interpreter for the Oregon Judicial Department. The job, which pays $25 an hour, sent Ly into courtrooms in nine county courthouses, where she mingled with law enforcement daily and sat as an interpreter in front of some of the judges who had sentenced her.

The judicial department didn't run a criminal background check on Ly, and as a result, didn't look to see whether the woman they knew as Aimone had a criminal history, said Nori Cross, special counsel for the state court administrator. But even if the department had checked her criminal history, it's unclear whether anything would have come up because the department doesn't do fingerprint checks on any of its employees.

Authorities say Ly finally encountered someone who recognized her last week, when she went to Clackamas County traffic court to translate for a man who got a speeding ticket. Clackamas County sheriff's deputy Ed Stelle happened to be working that night.

Stelle thought the interpreter bore a strong resemblance to a woman he had arrested in 2004 for trying to open a bank account under a false name.

"She was well-dressed," Stelle said. "She brought a bottle of perfume to give to the tellers. It was well thought out.

"Even to the point I put the handcuffs on her, I remember how smooth she was. She said 'This is all a big mistake.' "

Ly was released pending charges. Investigators with the sheriff's office and Portland police delved into Ly's activities, and found that she held at least three driver's licenses in other names. Authorities say she had asked patients for extensive personal information, such as Social Security numbers, in addition to interpreting for the medical staff.

Stelle remembered that the woman, who presented a stolen check at the Sterling Savings Bank in Wilsonville, was not a stereotypical criminal.

A grand jury issued an indictment on the stolen check charges, but by then, authorities couldn't find Ly.

Although Stelle was fairly sure he was looking at the same woman, he couldn't leave his post. The next day, he pulled up an old mug shot of Ly and confirmed his suspicion.

He found out she was scheduled to work next at the Multnomah County Courthouse, so Monday morning, he was waiting for her. He said he didn't want to leave the job to another officer who might not recognize her.

"She is so skillful, my concern is she'd pull out a new piece of ID and say 'You've got the wrong person,' " Stelle said.

Ly is in Clackamas County jail pending a review of her immigration status. Her attorney, Mark Bailey, said Ly and her husband have four children, ages 3 to their early teens, and the arrest is devastating to the family.

"There's a very different version of the story that's going to come out," Bailey said, adding that the accusations aren't true.

Ly was arraigned on the 2004 charges Wednesday. She was tearful as she responded to questions during the brief hearing.

Portland police say they're concerned that Ly may have victimized non-native English speakers who may not have come forward because of the language barrier.

"She is so good at conning people with that smile of hers," Stelle said. "I figure she thought she was home free. And she probably would have been right, if I hadn't signed up for night court."

Aimee Green: 503-294-5119; aimeegreen@news.oregonian.com