Forged orders?The attorney general's office alleges Mason forged judges' court orders.
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By PHIL DAVIDSON
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pdavidson@postregister.com
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Two of the local magistrate judges whose signatures appeared on court orders forfeiting guns to Kimball Mason said they don't remember signing the documents. That's because Mason, the former Idaho Falls prosecutor, forged their signatures unbeknownst to the judges, the Idaho attorney general's office alleges. As a result, prosecutors charged Mason with six counts of forgery Wednesday, plus seven counts of grand theft for allegedly stealing property from the Idaho Falls Police Department's evidence vault. Mason, 52, pleaded guilty five months ago to three felony charges for similar crimes. In court documents filed Wednesday, prosecutors allege that on two occasions, Mason used a rubber stamp bearing Magistrate Judge Mark Riddoch's signature on court orders. The signature convinced Idaho Falls police officers to give Mason guns stored in the evidence room. Mason did the same thing four times with Magistrate Judge Keith Walker's signature stamp, according to the attorney general's complaint. Both judges told Mike Dillon, the attorney general's chief criminal investigator, that they never gave Mason permission to utilize their signature stamps, court documents indicate. Affidavits also reveal that the grand theft charges stem from a June 2 raid of his Idaho Falls home. A tipster told police Mason hid the guns at his friend John Stosich's house in early May. Police learned the guns had been returned to Mason's home three weeks later, prompting the raid. Detectives found 12 guns, but Mason's only been charged with four he told investigators he'd destroyed, plus three that no one knew were missing from the evidence room. (Because of the statute of limitations, investigators only looked at guns seized since 2001. Their probe turned up 51 missing weapons.) Here's a look at the guns they found: - Berretta .22-caliber model 21 semiautomatic pistol, serial number BCS32676U - Jennings .22-caliber model J-22 semiautomatic pistol, serial number 707481 - .45-caliber Essex Barstow semiautomatic pistol, serial number 65857 - .45-caliber Hungary GKK pistol, serial number AA007211 - double barrel muzzle loader pistol, serial number 0564 - double barrel muzzle loader -- CMC pistol, serial number 5492 - Ultra High muzzleloader rifle, serial number 20883 Cops and Courts reporter Phil Davidson can be reached at 542-6750.
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