By David Fleet

Editor

The Office of the Genesee County Sheriff recently recognized four Atlas Township officers for their law enforcement efforts in 2016.

Deputies Robert Nickelsen and Jerry Watson each received awards for professional excellence for their part in an investigation into a fraudulent telephone scam. Their actions prevented a loss of approximately $25,000 from an Atlas Township couple.

Also, Sergeant George Lieber and Deputy Robert Lipset each received awards for professional excellence for their part in an investigation into violent assaults that occurred in Atlas and Davison townships. This investigation has resulted in the arrest of a suspect.

“I am very proud of the men and women of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office,” said Robert Pickell, Genesee County Sheriff. “There is good public safety work being done every day, and these are just a few examples of the work done in Atlas Township.”

Pickell recounted the actions of the Atlas Township law enforcement during the annual awards banquet at the IMA Brookwood in Burton.

According to reports in the spring of 2016 an Atlas Township couple were contacted by suspects portraying themselves as Microsoft Corporation technicians claiming their computer had been infected with a malicious virus.

The couple paid $600 via electronic funds transfer. Weeks later, after calls from the suspects became more constant and the solicitations turned into demands and threats, law enforcement was contacted.

Deputies Nickelsen and Watson investigated the case, contacting the suspects.

“Unfortunately the scammers are well aware local law enforcement have few options in dealing with foreign operations,” said Pickell. “They were defiant. The deputies were determined to help as they continued talking with the scammers while simultaneously contacting the bank’s fraud department, as the couple had provided their banking information to the scammers.”

Working with the couple’s bank on one line and the suspects on the other— the compromised accounts were closed before any money was withdrawn. The deputies also started the process for recovering the initial money the couple lost.

“The grateful couple hasn’t reported any other harassment and credit deputies Nickelsen and Watson with saving them $20,000 that would have otherwise been lost,” he said. “For their combined efforts and quick, unconventional thinking, they are awarded the citation for professional excellence.”

Pickell also recounted the efforts of Atlas Township law enforcement following a violent attack in October.

At 5:52 p.m., Oct. 7, Deputy Robert Lipset responded for a report of an assault at Goodrich Middle School walking trail. When he arrived Lipset found a 36-year-old female victim along with her children 7- and 10-years-old.

“The victim, bloodied and beaten, described a chilling assault carried out by an unknown individual in front of her children,” said Pickell. “The preliminary investigation produced little for investigators to work with. The suspect was described as a large, muscular black male with a shaved head who fled in a black Chevy Tahoe with dark tinted windows and large chrome rims.”

On Oct. 12, Lipset recalling the time of the attack, positioned himself along M-15 in hopes of locating a possible suspect. As Lipset monitored traffic, he observed a black Chevy Tahoe with dark tinted windows. Despite the rims being different than what he was looking for, Lipset, unable to see into the vehicle due to overly dark tinted windows, played a hunch and initiated a traffic stop.

“As Deputy Lipset made contact with the driver, who was a large muscular male with a shaved head, his suspicion heightened as he recalled the description of the assault suspect,” he said.

Deputy Lipset was notified the driver of the vehicle had an officer safety caution warning due to previous convictions which included assault with intent to murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and felony firearms. As additional members of the sheriff’s office arrived on scene, they noted fresh tool marks, greasy fingerprints and dust on the vehicle rims. Believing the rims had recently been changed, they began questioning the driver, identified as 40-year-old Charles Gamble.

“Gamble was deceptive and gave conflicting stories about the rims,” said Pickell. “Gamble was detained and questioned about his whereabouts on Oct. 7. Gamble’s responses led investigators to conclude he was lying, but with insufficient evidence at the time, he was released as the investigation continued.”

On Oct. 20, armed with arrest warrants, the sheriff’s office personnel began surveillance on Gamble’s residence. Once it was determined Gamble was alone in the house, deputies surrounded the home and moved in for the arrest. Gamble was taken into custody without incident for the Atlas Township attack.

He was also charged in an attack on a woman jogging at Abernathy Park in Davison on Sept. 30. Ultimately, Gamble was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and assault and battery. He is awaiting trial.

“Once Gamble was taken to the sheriff’s detective bureau, Det./Sgt. George Lieber solicited a full confession,” he said. “Had it not been for Sergeant George Lieber and Deputy Lipset’s good old-fashioned police work, allowing the investigators to narrow the search of a violent serial attacker, there still may be an attacker on the loose.”

For their efforts, Lieber and Lipset received the citation for professional excellence.