European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday april 4, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 5former a amp a head sentenced Iff Quoter Pil Dona id or. Dixon and his wife Dana meet with reporters following his court appearance tuesday. Dallas apr Donald r. Dixon was sentenced tuesday to five years in prison and ordered to repay $577,000 for using Money from his Vernon savings loan association to fund a lavish lifestyle and pay for prostitutes. ,. A. A. A / v. Dixon convicted of 23 counts of Bank fraud faced up to 120 years in prison and a $5.75 million Fine hut . District judge Joe fish said he should not be punished for Vernon s $1,3 billion failure. Bixon 52, Vernon a former owner was convicted in december of illegally using depositors Money to pay for a California Beach House and prostitutes. Attorney general Dick Thornburgh called Dixon the a highest of the High fliers among the savings Anco loan Crooks a and his trial had come to symbolize the fraudulent excesses in the troubled Thrift Industry. But fish said the six week trial did not prove Dixon Caus Fifthe thrifts 1987 collapse the largest at the time. To. Think or. Dixon is deserving of punishment for the crime of which he was convicted a fish said. A however i do not think he should be punished for the fail Urc of Vernon savings amp  v fish sentenced do lion to three concurrent five year terms. He also ordered five years probation and 500 hours of Community service during the first two years after Dixon a release. Dixon was ordered to report to a Federal prison april 23. Me could be eligible Tor Farole in 20 months. No prison was designated. Dixon a attorney William Ravkind said a decision whether to Appeal had not been made. Dixon said he thought the sentence was fair. A i was not tried and convicted for the collapse of Vernon savings and should not be sentenced for it a he said. A a in a glad its Over. Its been a  Dixon was convicted of illegally spending about $577,000 from the Thrift primarily to pay Tor a House at Solana Beach near Sari Diego. Ile also was convicted of using Thrift Money to pay for prostitutes during parties at the House. V Dixon testified that the House was used As a hotel for business during Vernon s expansion into the Southern California real estate Market. He was cleared of making illegal Campaign contributions with Vernon funds a a we re pleased that it. Dixon is going to jail that he has been ordered to restore to the Odic the amount the court has ordered a said prosecutor Robert Hauberg. V a  a s a the government had asked fish to sentence Dixon to cons Cutie prison terms and pay $33 million inies tit ution. Fish ordered Dixon to repay the $577,000, plus fees and other costs that bring his total penalty to More than $600,000. A y a by a. A. Gay y Dixon was the 11th person and eighth Vernon officer to be convicted. Last april a not he r be d Era i j u de in a Lias be n the need former chief executive officer Woody Lemons to 30 years the stiffest penalty Given Atrit to fraud figure. Lemons was convicted of soliciting a $9,000 Kickback. From a loan broker in january 1986 and receiving $212,000 from the broker in april 1986.tlaubcrg, who also prosecuted Lemons said Lemons received Vernon funds directly while Dixon did not. F Dixon his wife Dana and three friends spoke on his behalf during the sentencing. Dixon brained regulatory reforms and the economic Boom of the Early 1980s for spurring some of his greed. He said Thrift reforms a put too much Money in the hands of too few people. And that was too much Power and i was one of those people.�?�. A i feel a great obligation to repay some of the costs of the nations a amp a debacle. Because i was at the Helm of the ship a Dixon  swindler nabbed in Wisconsin Kenosha wis. Up a 49-year-old Man who was recently profiled on a National television program for conning hundreds of thousands of dollars out of lonely single women in 10 states was being held in Kenosha county jail tuesday on $630,000 Bond. Police selected one of the Many a 80 aliases Robert j. Koch of Louisville ky., and the District attorney filed charges monday on one count each of theft theft by fraud Possession of stolen property and forgery. He is scheduled to appear in Kenosha county circuit court next week in the stars and stripes Koch is accused of tricking $ 10,500 out of a 48-year-old Kenosha woman whom he had known for less than two weeks police say. He was arrested last thursday when the woman a friends became suspicious arid hired a private investigator och also is being held for outstanding warrants in Columbia mo., and Arlington a. Charges also Are pending against him in Dallas Grants pass Ore. Midfield Ala. Monroe la. Santa Barbara Calif. Wyomissing a. And Albuquerque . Koch Scase a the sweetheart swindler a was profiled recently on the Abc to program a unsolved  Kenosha police detective Kenneth Kopesky said he has received inquiries from officials at 30 other police departments who think Koch May have performed similar con jobs in their jurisdictions. Kopesky said in the Kenosha Case Koch posed As the president of a fashion merchandising store when he met the woman at a sunday night singles club meeting in late March. A she thought it was a blossoming Romartie a Kopesky said. A the wined her and dined her and bought her gifts. He told her that he loved her and that he wanted to marry her. They looked at engagement rings and they looked at  Koch after telling the woman of his financial difficulties said that he needed $10,500 from her before they got married to ensure their financial stability Kopesky said. The woman then gave him the Money and Koch assured her that he would pay it Back in the next Mouth with $3,1 00 interest. Friends of the woman who sensed something was wrong with the relationship persuaded the woman to hire a detective to find if Kochwa who he claimed Toby. 10 years ago april 4,1981 a prime minister Prem tins Vanonda crushed a two Day old coup by rebel generals by sending thousands of troops into Bangkok to seize army and government Headquarters the Airport and All radio and television stations. 20 year Sago april 4,1971 a attorney general John n. Mitchell said that since the Nixon administration took office in 1969 there have been a less than 50" wiretaps 1n National Security cases fewer than under previous administrations. 30 years ago april 4,1961 London a Trafal Gar Square was filled with 40,000 marchers in a protest against atomic weapons. A group of protesters marched toward the . Embassy v where seven were arrested in violent demonstrations. 40 years ago april 4,1951 a the worst Locust plague in Iran in a Century left to. Costs 10 inches deep covering some parts of the country. Cover Sacramento Calif. A three California legislators were talking tuesday at the Capitol when somebody shouted  the Trio Dove under a desk bumping Heads and elbows. More than 2 million others in schools offices and businesses across California were supposed to take cover at the same instant 10 10 . An emergency tone wailed from radios in los Angeles san Francisco and dozens of other cities. The emergency tone ended and gift Pete Wilson explained Over the Ray Dio a this is a test. April is California earthquake preparedness  Wilson asked californians to a join in an earthquake Duck cover and hold  a Duck Down and take cover under a sturdy desk or table or against an Interior Wall. Hold this position until this test message has been completed a he said. In the Capitol democratic assemblymen Rusty Areias of los Banos Bob Eppic of Norwalk and Sal Cannella of Ceres crawled out and talked with reporters. Areias who served As Assembly earthquake committee chairman last year said a the catalyst the motivation for this years Drill of unprecedented scope was the devastating temblor of october 1989. That quake killed 67 people injured 3,757 and caused More than $5.9 billion in damage. After a burst of Public awareness a there is a thickening curtain of apathy a Areias said. A people have gone on to other things. They Are saying a ill take my chances a or a its not  a Areias and other state officials said another big quake is inevitable. The Drill was the principal event of earthquake safety month said office of emergency services spokesman Tom Mullins hundreds of school districts cities counties Federal agencies businesses and Community groups participated in the Drill a procedure that involves moving under a desk or table and holding on Tor 30 seconds. About 250 separate events Are planned. Activities will include private arid Public education programs school preparedness activities and Law enforcement and medical . Grumman to trim 1 1 new York a Grumman corp. Said tuesday it will eliminate 1,900 jobs by years end joining a growing list of defense contractors that have slashed payrolls in response to Pentagon budget cuts. A a the maker of the heavy a f-14 fighter and the a-6 bomber said it will Lay off 1,200 to 1,300 workers and Cut another 600 to 700 jobs through attrition by the end of the  announcement follows staffing reductions by general dynamics corp., Mcdonnell Douglas corp. And other defense giants squeezed by Congress determination to Cut military spending. 1 _ defense Secretary Dick Cheney has said he wants to reduce military spending by 25 percent during the next five years. A the pipeline is empty a said Jerry Cantwell an analyst with Wertheim Schroder amp co. In new York a defense spending is continuing to go Down. Without some major reversal that a it. These Guys Are in a downtrend a. In an open letter to employees Grumman chairman  Caporali blamed the Job cuts on reduced defense spending and the company a need to become More competitive