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Hunting-trip scam leads to four years in prison
Placerville man collected deposits, delayed returning funds to clients.
By Molly Dugan -- Sacramento Bee Staff Writer
March 9, 2005
An El Dorado County judge has sentenced a Placerville man to four years in prison for swindling $73,000 in a scam that promised hunting excursions to Missouri and Montana.
Michael Wayne Calicura, 34, was convicted of 15 counts of grand theft, three counts of elder abuse and one count of first-degree residential burglary. Superior Court Judge Daniel B. Proud sentenced him last week.
On Monday, Calicura pleaded guilty to two more counts of grant theft, one count of elder abuse and one count of filing a fraudulent state income tax form. He was sentenced to two years, to run concurrently with the previous sentence.
Calicura will be sent to Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, where he will be assigned to another facility to serve out his term.
In 2001 and 2002, Calicura collected money from more than 20 people, some of them senior citizens, telling them he would lead a hunting expedition to Missouri for whitetail deer and to Montana for elk. The two 10-day trips were to include lodging, food and licenses.
Prosecutors say Calicura did nothing to plan for the excursions. All the money went into his bank account.
"He knew this trip was never going to take place," said Richard Jones, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case. "He took their money and used it for his own personal expenses."
Before the District Attorney's Office charged Calicura, his parents paid restitution, Jones said. He still owes about $3,000 in back taxes and penalties to the state.
Calicura, who was arrested in 2003, had no prior criminal history.
"He did intend to take these people on the trips," said Grant Pegg, Calicura's defense attorney. "Everybody got back every single dollar they were out of pocket. He did it on his own volition."
Calicura even flew to Missouri to make plans for one of the hunting trips, Pegg said.
When Calicura realized the trips weren't going to happen - he was going through a messy divorce at the time - he told people he could give them back their money or take them on the trip the following year, Pegg said.
Prosecutors said Calicura collected money for a trip to Missouri two days before the hunting season there ended.
Pegg said Calicura admitted he was untimely about telling people the trip was canceled and getting their money back. Most of the people were acquaintances Calicura knew through his hunting connections.
Prosecutors said Calicura set up a friend to help him recruit people; the defense said people came to Calicura because of his reputation.
"He had a reputation as being an experienced, qualified hunting guide," Pegg said.
Some of those people, Pegg said, had gone on previous trips with Calicura. Prosecutors said only one person knew Calicura before the scam.
Several who signed up for the hunting trips were senior citizens. In some cases, Calicura took money from them in their homes, the reason for the burglary and elder abuse charges.
"He entered the residence of these elderly people with the intent to steal," Jones said.
"Elders seem to be the targets of really unscrupulous people who try to take advantage of them. Oftentimes, elders are trusting. Sometimes they might not have the best of health," Jones said. "If someone promises you something that seems too good to be true, it probably is."
Placerville man collected deposits, delayed returning funds to clients.
By Molly Dugan -- Sacramento Bee Staff Writer
March 9, 2005
An El Dorado County judge has sentenced a Placerville man to four years in prison for swindling $73,000 in a scam that promised hunting excursions to Missouri and Montana.
Michael Wayne Calicura, 34, was convicted of 15 counts of grand theft, three counts of elder abuse and one count of first-degree residential burglary. Superior Court Judge Daniel B. Proud sentenced him last week.
On Monday, Calicura pleaded guilty to two more counts of grant theft, one count of elder abuse and one count of filing a fraudulent state income tax form. He was sentenced to two years, to run concurrently with the previous sentence.
Calicura will be sent to Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, where he will be assigned to another facility to serve out his term.
In 2001 and 2002, Calicura collected money from more than 20 people, some of them senior citizens, telling them he would lead a hunting expedition to Missouri for whitetail deer and to Montana for elk. The two 10-day trips were to include lodging, food and licenses.
Prosecutors say Calicura did nothing to plan for the excursions. All the money went into his bank account.
"He knew this trip was never going to take place," said Richard Jones, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case. "He took their money and used it for his own personal expenses."
Before the District Attorney's Office charged Calicura, his parents paid restitution, Jones said. He still owes about $3,000 in back taxes and penalties to the state.
Calicura, who was arrested in 2003, had no prior criminal history.
"He did intend to take these people on the trips," said Grant Pegg, Calicura's defense attorney. "Everybody got back every single dollar they were out of pocket. He did it on his own volition."
Calicura even flew to Missouri to make plans for one of the hunting trips, Pegg said.
When Calicura realized the trips weren't going to happen - he was going through a messy divorce at the time - he told people he could give them back their money or take them on the trip the following year, Pegg said.
Prosecutors said Calicura collected money for a trip to Missouri two days before the hunting season there ended.
Pegg said Calicura admitted he was untimely about telling people the trip was canceled and getting their money back. Most of the people were acquaintances Calicura knew through his hunting connections.
Prosecutors said Calicura set up a friend to help him recruit people; the defense said people came to Calicura because of his reputation.
"He had a reputation as being an experienced, qualified hunting guide," Pegg said.
Some of those people, Pegg said, had gone on previous trips with Calicura. Prosecutors said only one person knew Calicura before the scam.
Several who signed up for the hunting trips were senior citizens. In some cases, Calicura took money from them in their homes, the reason for the burglary and elder abuse charges.
"He entered the residence of these elderly people with the intent to steal," Jones said.
"Elders seem to be the targets of really unscrupulous people who try to take advantage of them. Oftentimes, elders are trusting. Sometimes they might not have the best of health," Jones said. "If someone promises you something that seems too good to be true, it probably is."
