GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A Sandusky man has been handed down a severe sentence after orchestrating a fraudulent distress call that led to a massive search operation on Lake Erie. Danik Shiv Kumar, 21, was sentenced to three months in federal custody and ordered to pay $489,007 in restitution for the costly false alarm.
Kumar, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to making a false distress call, admitted to reporting a nonexistent vessel “launching up flares” while on a solo flight from Burke Lakefront Airport. His deceptive claim prompted the Coast Guard to dispatch multiple vessels and helicopters, incurring significant costs.
The search, which lasted over 21 hours, was only terminated after Kumar confessed that he never saw any distress signs or individuals requiring assistance. Despite knowing the full-scale operation underway, he chose not to come clean, according to court documents.
The $489,007 restitution figure covers the expenses of the search effort, with $277,257 paid by U.S. agencies and an additional $211,750 by the Canadian government. Kumar also faces 250 hours of community service and three years of supervised release.
Capt. Eric Johnson of the Coast Guard 9th District Incident Management Branch expressed concern over such actions, stating that they pose risks to real boaters in distress and unnecessarily endanger response crews.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Baeppler and Coast Guard Lt. Michael Petta, who served as Special Assistant United States Attorney. The investigation was conducted by the United States Coast Guard.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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