A long-running scam to steal thousands of Metro riders' fares unraveled this week after a man in a police uniform driving a Jaguar bought thousands of Virginia lottery tickets with bags and bags of apparently stolen coins.
A tip about the odd purchases led authorities to an extensive investigation involving GPS-tracked cars, surveillance videos from Woodbridge gas stations and money drops by an Alexandria underpass.
Now two Metro veterans, Horace Dexter McDade, 58, of Bowie, and John Vincent Haile, 54, of Woodbridge, are charged with conspiring to commit theft from programs receiving federal funds, court records show. They were arrested late Wednesday and could face five years behind bars.
The two men are accused of stealing bags of coins since at least 2010 while working together transporting the cash for Metro in an agency vehicle, then hiding the bags on the side of a road until after work, court documents show.
McDade, an agency veteran of more than 32 years, works as a revenue technician who services Metro rail stations' fare machines when they break down. Haile, a cop on the agency's police force since 1997, was supposed to guard the money and protect the revenue technicians. Court records show he had asked repeatedly to work with McDade.
Both men have been suspended without pay, and Haile is in the process of being fired, Metro said. The supervisor of the revenue division has been reassigned amid a review.
Authorities began investigating after the FBI received a tip in September about a man in a police uniform regularly visiting a Woodbridge gas station to buy scratch-off lottery tickets with $1 coins.
Investigators said the man started buying tickets with coins about three years ago, first bringing a handful to the counter. But he grew more bold, buying tickets almost every weekday with $500 bags of coins, according to a police affidavit. Sometimes, he went back to his Jaguar parked outside for more.
All told, investigators say they believe Haile bought at least $28,000 worth of tickets from October to December, records show. He won at least 29 times in 2011, with winnings of $32,000.
Haile also had unexplained cash deposits of more than $150,0000 since 2008, according to a police affidavit.
Neither man could be reached for comment Thursday.
The two were released Thursday afternoon after making their first appearance at U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
Neither man had a lawyer as of Thursday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmine Yoon told the court that Haile, who asked for a court-appointed attorney, should not be considered eligible for one because the police investigation showed he had enough money to pay for a lawyer.
But Magistrate Judge T. Rawles Jones Jr. noted that Haile might need one after all because some of that money might not be available.
"The taxpayers may very well be entitled to recover those funds," he said.
But Magistrate Judge T. Rawles Jones Jr. noted that Haile might need one after all because some of that money might not be available.
"The taxpayers may very well be entitled to recover those funds," he said.
Can you say, "Genuises!!!"?? Wow, I hope they both lose their pensions and I think the taxpayers should be reimbursed for their capers seven times over.
Good scam as it seems they made off with more money than they spent on lottery tickets. But how low can you go. I want to find their pictures...I mean their mug shots.
Guess Haile and McDade are supporters of BO but don't trust him when it comes to money as they wanted the cash [coins] now. Nice investigative work I must say.
On an unrelated subject, has anyone noticed that all of the Powerball jackpot winners since 2009 have opted for the cash option vice annuity? I guess they figure that at some point under BO, taxes will increase dramatically for those making over $1 million so better to take the lump sum and pay current tax rates vice waiting and hoping that tax rates don't go up to 75 percent or even higher. Sure, most winners chose lump sum cash option prior but there were a few in a prior year that opted for the annuity (they may not have liked GWB but at least they could trust him when he said he wouldn't raise their taxes).
when we get the coins can i have a rabbit george? i like rabbits.
IT is DC METRO!!!!!!!!!!!! Another corrupt tax payer supported piece of nepotism and graft brought to us by the DC government thieves, these dummies were wanting a little bit of the booty. I demand a complete audit of all accounting, payroll, pensions and payments of all of DC METRO. These idiots can't even keep the escalators running, wreck trains, and harrass people for french fries. You can't make this up.
Metro escalator service status
A lot of winners are opting for the lump-sum payout right now because the bond rates are so low. You can earn more on your money in the market - if you trust that.
That said, it still may make sense to take the annuity. You spread out your tax burden and get a check every year!
A crooked cop? No way!
Those dummies would have been better off depositing the coins in those change machines at various stores around the city. Then they could have split the loot and sat on the cash to not raise any suspisions. I am not condonig their behavior in any way but if you are going to steal from hard working tax payers you have to be a little smarter about it. The cop is hillarious....Why wouldn't he think that going to the same store daily to buy scratch offs with hundred dollars of change would not raise any red flags? Then have the nerve to buy the tickets in uniform. Depending on what area of the country you live in most cops starting annual salary is at least 40,000. Stupidity and greed got the best of them. They deserve to be caught. What is done in the dark always comes to light.
When the magistrate spoke it was an INSULT to the taxpayers, please re-read it as it basically says that the TAXPAYERS are going to pickup the LEGAL fees since the monies will be frozen for distribution back to the lottery. Therefore the guys will be entitled to public representations.
The Taxpayers Get nothing but a legal bill. gotta love how folks comprehend a remark that is not in their favor.
Loved the Crooked Cop line! Too cute!
The last thing that I would count on would be a long term annuity. The Dollar is way to close to collapse. Lump sum & purchase a small annuity if you really think that you need it. You need to carefully diversify theses days!
Those are US backed Bonds. If the US goes broke, likely in the next 25+ years given the current situation, the annuity goes poof as the bonds will be worthless. Why not take your money up front, get the taxes out of the way, and invest it wisely after buying a few toys?
Based upon the last 5 years of economic downturn, CD rates going from a high of 6% to a 1% now if you can find it; Several states have claimed /and are considering bankruptcy; Take the lump sum always. If a state declares bankruptcy, you have no recourse with an annuity.
iAs far as i can see on the poweball winner sight it shows 122 winners since 2003. 117 took the cash . It shows 2 mixed where in these cases there were a huge pool of players so a few in the pool might have taken the annuity. 2 cases in 2011 show pending where 1 of tham is from Georgia which was never claimed. I only see 1 couple tho picked the annuity. So out of 122 winners dating back to 2003 it only shows 1 couple out of 122 winners going for the annuity.
Why would you buy lottery tickets with "bags and bags" of coins. Plenty of under-the-radar ways to get rid of coins. Obviously.
because you would be a moron. i mean transit cop isnt 1st preference career choice id imagine!
maybe real cop, detective? private investigator? would be prefered but being a moron he only got to teansit cop.
Policemen caught doing crime? what else is new