I promised I would do a criminal background check on James Pantera and I have contacted the FBI to run it through them. It will cost me $18 and they provided a link: FBI Background check site: [Link]In the meantime, I was sent a background check by a reader who conducted the check without a Social Security Number and he had no problem finding out that this guy is "radioactive." Scroll down to see the result...
As I was going through the process to file with the FBI, I was contacted by a SCAQ Blog reader who explained in pretty clear terms how our "ghost" otherwise known as James David Land AKA James Pantera AKA James Sabre Pantera AKA Robert Michael Binkin and others..., fell through the cracks.
Simple answer "USA Swimming changed horses in the middle of a stream." They changed agencies at the behest of an "expert" and this new agency failed badly. The SCAQ reader that contacted me even suggested that this "expert" has an interest in the new company they were told USA Swimming to bring in. That is a serious ethical breech or at best a conflict of interest that has harmed the sport.
Before the new agency was brought in by the "expert" they had an extremely competent company titled TC logiQ doing all the background checks for them and this company was very thorough. Most online agencies use a "Boolean search term" rather than using what is know as "fuzzy logic." For instance if you did background check on this blogger as "Tony Austin", numerous people would show up. However by using variations of my name would render more results.
Now, with our "Ghost," James Pantera, using an "alphabet soup strategy," or multiple identities it looks like he was able to game the sorely anemic search terms of the "expert's" agency.
So who "dropped the ball" in this mess? The person who was told to change horses in the middle of a stream" and hire a new agency.
Here is a quote for you:
"...Based on the parameters with which we run searches, we would have caught this person. Additionally our disclosure box would have immediately disqualified his membership for falsifying the application by not disclosing his prior arrest..."
-- Thomas (TC) Danzenger - CEO TC logiQ
Someone at USA Swimming please suspend this person or ban this person immediately... Even the USA Swimming rule book says he should never been allowed to be a member:
Background check:
Case Summary304.3.6 Conviction of, imposition of a deferred sentence for, or any plea of guilty or no contest at any time, past or present, or the existence of any pending charges, for (i) any felony, (ii) any offense involving use, possession, distribution or intent to distribute illegal drugs or substances, (iii) any crime involving sexual misconduct, or (iv) any criminal offense against a minor.
Background check:
2:98-cr-00220-LA All Defendants USA v. Pantera, et al
Date filed: 11/17/1998
Date terminated: 06/11/1999
Date of last filing: 05/22/2006
James S Pantera
Milwaukee
Terminated: 06/11/1999
Count: 1
Citation: 18:1542.F
Offense Level: 4
18:1542 and 2 - FALSE STATEMENT IN APPLICATION/USE OF PASSPORT
Count: 1s
Citation: 18:922G.F
Offense Level: 4
18:922(g)(2) and 924(a)(2) - UNLAWFUL TRANSPORT OF FIREARMS, ETC.
Count: 2s
Citation: 18:1542.F
Offense Level: 4
18:1542 and 2 - FALSE STATEMENT IN APPLICATION OF PASSPORT
Count: 3s
Citation: 20:1097A.F
Offense Level: 4
20:1097(a) and 18:2 - EMBEZZLEMENT, STEALING, FRAUD, FALSE STATEMENTS, FORGERY
Defendant Custody Status:
7 comments:
Dear Sir, I am astouned at the irresponsible writing you think you are perfoming. (1) What you provided on your page is an indictment list. This is what he was accused of, not convicted of. Last time I remember reading, some where, that indictments are not convictions and should not be held against a person. In addition, I am guessing you believe everything on the internet is true, just like lawyers don't embellish. How naive. I guess that means nothing to you. Obvisously. James conviction (1) fake passport and (1) student loan, that is it. Do you find it fun condemning a person you dont even know? Why do you do this? You should ask yourself, why is this in the news anyway. Does the accuser hate USA Swimming and James Pantera so much that he feels this needs to be played out in the media, because he needs the pubilicity and wants to harm both USA Swimming and James as much as humanly possible? Sad. This type of situation happens all the time, but the accuser has enough professional courtesy that he takes it to the appropriate agency and lodges his complaint for an internal investigation, not the "court of public opinion" which I can see from your writing is not objective. Instead sending it to his friend at Associated Press. I wish we all could be such a great guy like yourself, but you know what, some people make mistakes, I am just sorry there is so little compassion left in the world. Truly disappointing.
Why didn't they just look where everyone can look, the BOP
He's there....
http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=James&Middle=&LastName=Pantera&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=0&y=0
You know what? The new company the "expert" told them to use really sucks!
So, tell me... What exactly did I get wrong? As far as I can tell I got nothing wrong.
Even the FBI held up James Pantera as example of a fraudster who got caught in a technical report they wrote for the Defense Personnel Security Research Center, and the "Department of defense" & "Federal Bureau of Investigation/Criminal Justice Identification Services Division" to prevent fraudsters from hurting the public.
It was titled: "Results of a Pilot Test of the FBI Civil
Fingerprint File." It's purpose was to test the efficacy and "...the importance of having secure means of vetting the identities of individuals who apply for government-issued credentials or access to sensitive government
facilities, information systems, or classified information. ..."
On page-2 the bullet point states the following:
"• James David Land AKA James Pantera AKA James Sabre Pantera AKA Robert Michael Binkin enlisted two different times in the armed services under two different names. ..."
So, Pantera is essentially a poster boy for the FBI in regards to those try and defraud. Not a pleasant resume item.
Link: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA485301
Then we have the fake passport and student loan fraud as well. (What a guy!) But you forgot the weapons arrest, false statements and the USA Swimming rules that state he can't be on our their team
USA Swimming rule book:
".... 304.3.6 Conviction of, imposition of a deferred sentence for, or any plea of guilty or no contest at any time, past or present, or the existence of any pending charges, for (i) any felony, (ii) ..." is enough to get you banned!
As to your allegation of my lack of compassion - Compassion is defined as: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Perhaps you mean forgiveness. Yes, I can easily forgive the most outrageous of crimes if the person repents and follows the rules. This guy seemingly did not change.
I don't have sympathy for those that lie their way through life and refuse to end that sort of strategy. He lied to steal college loan money. He lied on a passport app. He lied twice to the military. He lied that he had no police record or more accurately stated that he had passed background checks, and he is lying now stating that Mike Saltzstein is a bully.
I know Mike Saltzstein. He has officiated at the Olympic games. He was a Vice President of USA Swimming, He was the first to bring up the topic of sex abuse prevention when it was a taboo subject and he has only one birth certificate name not half-dozen or more.
You "professional courtesy" allegation regarding Mr. Saltzstein's imagined friendliness with USA Swimming does not wash either. USA Swimming management can't stand Mike Saltzstein. They wish he would spontaneously combust. I read the letter the executive director, Chuck Wielgus sent Mike post the the San Jose scandal and it was not friendly.
Good day!
Tony,
Do you have a link to the letter Wielgus sent Mike?
I have to ask for it. I don't remember posting it.
In fact it may have been a phone call, I will ask.
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