http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/45900.html By John Ellis The Fresno Bee 05/05/07 James Earl Edmiston, the man who fooled judges and attorneys alike when he fraudulently passed himself off as a computer forensics expert, pleaded guilty Friday to federal perjury charges. Edmiston could receive up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine when he is sentenced July 13 by U.S. District Judge Lawrence O'Neill, but based on his criminal history and federal sentencing guidelines, the time is likely to be closer to three years, authorities said. Federal agents arrested Edmiston in September after they became suspicious of the 36-year-old Long Beach resident's qualifications. For instance, a sterling resume featured degrees from the California Institute of Technology and the University of California at Los Angeles. Checks, however, found the institutions didn't offer the degrees Edmiston listed on his resume. The end came for Edmiston after he was retained by Fresno attorneys Richard Berman and Eric Schweitzer to work on two child pornography cases. Local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents involved in the cases noticed some inaccuracies on his resume, and further checks found alleged multiple false statements Prosecutors say Edmiston committed perjury by making false statements in both cases. By that time, he had been qualified as an expert witness in computers and had submitted documents and offered testimony in court, including Tulare County Superior Court and the Fresno County Superior Court branch in Clovis. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa, who is prosecuting the case against Edmiston, declined to comment Friday. Authorities, however, say that based on information they currently have, no convictions have been jeopardized by Edmiston's actions. Edmiston, who also declined to comment Friday, pleaded guilty to two perjury counts. In exchange, the government dropped the remaining charges, including an additional perjury count and eight counts of making false statements to authorities. According to a plea agreement Edmiston signed Friday, the perjury charges involve two federal child pornography cases, one involving Ron Vaughn Jr., a Fresno County sheriff's sergeant, and another against Fresno resident Marlon Celedon. Berman, who represents Vaughn, had retained and paid Edmiston and said earlier that Edmiston looked to be the best qualified for the work. Schweitzer represented Celedon. Federal officials still are not sure how many cases Edmiston worked on, how many times he has testified in court or how long he has been offering his services as an expert witness. Edmiston's criminal history includes a mid-1990s prison term on a forgery conviction. Copyright 2007 The Fresno Bee _____________________________________________________ Attend Black Hat USA, July 28-August 2 in Las Vegas, the world's premier technical event for ICT security experts. Featuring 30 hands-on training courses and 90 Briefings presentations with lots of new content and new tools. Network with 4,000 delegates from 70 nations. Visit product displays by 30 top sponsors in a relaxed setting. Rates increase on June 1 so register today. http://www.blackhat.com
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