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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, February 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 10, 2004 Medford car break-in suspects face charges By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune The suspected king of Medford car break-ins and one of his accomplices each face racketeering charges stemming from more than 60 cases sprinkled around Medford during the past two months, authorities said. Prosecutors allege that Eric One Ziegler, 30, and Tina Louise Parshall, 26, operated a criminal enterprise that parlayed information in women’s purses snatched from cars into forgeries and thefts costing more than $50,000. Each was arraigned Monday in Jackson County Circuit Court, with Ziegler facing two racketeering charges and Parshall facing one. Racketeering, which is a class A felony, is normally associated with white-collar crimes. But authorities assert that the statute also fits a chronic street criminal who preyed on women who left their purses in their cars. "Basically, a criminal enterprise can be anything, and his was smashing cars and taking (victims’) IDs to steal," said Matthew Chancellor, the assistant district attorney handling the case. "That’s how he lives. That’s his business." Ziegler also was arraigned on 15 other felonies, as well as a previous indictment charging him with four other felony thefts and identity thefts. Advertisement Judge Raymond White set Ziegler’s bail at $500,000 and shipped him back to the Jackson County Jail, where he remained Monday. In addition to one count of racketeering, Parshall also was indicted on one count of aggravated first-degree theft, two counts of identity theft and four counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. White set her bail at $25,000 and she was returned to jail. A Jackson County grand jury was scheduled to consider indictments against the pair today. Racketeering is not a Measure 11 crime and does not have a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction. However, it does carry a maximum sentence of 20 years per count. Investigators say Ziegler was the lead man in a scheme that preyed on women who leave their purses in their cars parked outside of places like health clubs and doctor’s offices, often in broad daylight. Ziegler would canvas the lots for women who leave their cars without a purse in hand, police said. He then would break a window in their car, grab the purse and flee, police said. Ziegler allegedly would give the checks, credit cards and identification to women who then went on shopping sprees that police believe topped $50,000 in the past two months. Other items taken in the vehicle break-ins, dubbed "car clouts," were sometimes pawned or traded for illegal drugs by Ziegler, who police say is the area’s most prolific car clouter with a long list of prior theft and drug arrests. Along with racketeering, Ziegler was arraigned Monday on one count of first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree theft, one count of aggravated first-degree theft, six counts of unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, four counts of identity theft and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times