Identity Theft ringleader arrested after escape

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by Ken Kiunke , May 13, 2014

A woman wanted for running an identity theft operation was arrested last Thursday night after escaping detectives who were looking for her at her San Pablo apartment two weeks ago. Jasmine Monet Mitchell was arrested at the Lodge in Tiburon, a resort hotel located in north San Francisco Bay overlooking Belvedere Cove and Angel Island in Marin County.

Jasmine Mitchell has been called by some in the media a “porn heiress” as the 33-year-old daughter of Artie Mitchell, who was killed by his own brother and business partner Jim Mitchell in 1991. The Mitchell brothers produced well known adult films such as “Behind The Green Door”, and ran several adult movie theaters in the 1970’s. They were pioneers when video tape became the preferred medium for their type of films. They also frequently fought obscenity charges related to the various aspects of their business. Conflicts between them, however, became well known, and in 1991 Jim was reported to show up at Artie’s house armed with a rifle and killed his alcoholic and cocaine addled brother. He served three years for voluntary manslaughter and returned to the business in 1997, dying himself 10 years later.

Jasmine Mitchell’s cousin James Mitchell, the son of Jim Mitchell, was himself arrested for murder in 2009. While working in the family business as director of film operations, he was convicted of taking his baby daughter from her mother, Danielle Keller, in Novato and beating her to death with a baseball bat. He was arrested after fleeing to Citrus Heights, convicted of first degree murder and kidnapping, and sentenced to 35 years to life in prison.

Detectives targeted an apartment near the Lytton Casino to find their suspects.

Meanwhile, Artie Mitchell’s daughter Jasmine has become known to bay area law enforcement as an identity theft perpetrator, with warrants out for her related to several incidents. She has a record of several drug related arrests as well. She was arrested in Santa Clara County last November for receiving stolen property. In February she was arrested at the Graton Casino in Santa Rosa by security personnel and charged with possession of a controlled substance, along with receiving an access card (such as an ATM card) with intent to defraud, and use of that card. Her Sonoma County warrant was based on this arrest, and on Tuesday, April 29 detectives with the County Sheriff’s Department got a tip that she could be found in San Pablo, at an apartment complex near the Lytton Casino.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, the detectives were not told which apartment, only that she and another suspect, Roy Kim, would be there. Kim was also wanted on multiple identity thefts, state parole violations, and a warrant out of Santa Clara County for commercial theft. He had been arrested in Alameda County in October for possessing and creating forged identifications, along with drug charges and parole violations. Both he and Mitchell were under investigation by other agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service and Homeland Security, on suspicion of operating a large scale identity theft operation.

The detectives were able to locate the exact apartment, and at 7 pm they contacted the people there. Neither Mitchell or Kim were present, but three others were, including 38-year-old Harley Logsdon, who was identified as having a no-bail warrant issued for him out of Napa County probation violations based on forgery charges. He had been arrested on August 26 of last year in Napa for forgery and giving false identity. The apartment was filled with evidence of the identity theft operation, and detectives seized that as they processed the scene.

The Lodge at Tibuon – Jasmine Mitchell’s last stop.

While this was going on, a white Mercedes Benz, driven by Jasmine Mitchell, arrived at the apartments. As the detectives saw her, she saw them. She rammed her car into one of the detectives’ vehicles, turned quickly and hit another car while she made her escape. But while she got away, her partner Roy Kim was apprehended in a taxi cab in Richmond just a few miles away.

Jasmine Mitchell remained wanted, now for assault with a deadly weapon (her car) on a peace officer and hit and run, in addition to the outstanding warrants and evidence of her identity theft ring. The Sonoma detectives on the case concentrated their search on Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Marin counties, focusing on expensive or exclusive hotels in the area. They spoke with employees and showed her picture to alert them to be on the lookout for her. She appeared to have stayed at the Acqua Hotel in Mill Valley, a waterfront resort in Marin County in the north bay. She had used an assumed name when she checked in Sunday, May 4.

Jasmine Mitchell booking photo

The detectives struck pay dirt when they went to check The Lodge, just across Richardson Bay in nearby Tiburon. At 6 pm Thursday, May 8, while checking with the staff, they saw her walking towards the lobby, apparently to check in. She was arrested after a brief struggle. She had a number of counterfeit credit cards with her, some cash, and a bit of methamphetamine. Other items she was carrying suggested that she was planning to leave the country. Mitchell was held at the Tiburon Police Department until Secret Service agents took her into custody. She is facing charges from the US Attorney, along with Sonoma and Contra Costa Counties’ District Attorneys.

Roy Kim and Harley Logsdon were booked at Contra Costa Jail on their warrants and no bail holds. They will also face numerous additional charges along with Mitchell on identity theft and conspiracy as the investigation continues.

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