Friday, June 01, 2001

Case of Michael Leon Zeve


Case of Michael Leon Zeve
(AKA: Michael Silver)
Detroit, MI
Children's Roller Hockey Coach - Irvine, CA
Tel Aviv, Israel
 
Accused of molesting a neighborhood child and members of a youth roller hockey team he coached between 1996 and 2000. Prosecutors said Zeve provided alcohol to the children and videotaped some of the sexual encounters. Michael Leon Zeve fled the country (to Israel) the day before his trial.  Four years later he was arrested in Israel. He was finally extradited back to the US in 2007.  He was sentanced to 18 years to live.  He will be in prison until at least the year 2023. 
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Table of Contents:   
 
2001
  1. Wanted By The FBI  (06/01/2001)
  2. Former inline hockey coach sought by FBI on child molestation charges. (06/01/2001)


2002
  1. FBI hunting former coach accused of molesting kids (05/16/2002)
  2. Man wanted on molestation charges last seen in March (05/23/2002)


2005
  1. Convicted Killer Scheduled to Be Executed Tonight; New Developments in Michael Jackson Trial  (05/12/2005)  
  2. Alleged child molester returned to O.C. (07/06/2005)
  3. Alleged Orange County child molester arrested in Israel  (07/07/2005)
  4. Accused O.C. Child Molester Is Caught (07/07/2005)
  5. Molestation suspect on way back (07/07/2005)
  6. Fugitive denied bail in molestation case (07/19/2005)
  7. Alleged California child molester arrested in Israel denied bail (07/19/2005)

2007
  1. 'You Are Just a Nasty Pedophile' - Former youth-sports coach faces victims' families at sentencing  (09/06/2007)

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UNLAWFUL FLIGHT TO AVOID PROSECUTION - LEWD ACTS WITH A CHILD (THREE COUNTS), POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, SEXUAL ABUSE UPON A CHILD
MICHAEL LEON ZEVE
 
Photograph of Michael Leon Zeve taken in 1998 - Captured Photograph of Michael Leon Zeve taken in 2000 - Captured

Photograph taken in 1998        Photograph taken in 2000
 
DESCRIPTION
 
Alias: Michael Silver
 
Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan    Eyes: Brown
 
Height: 6'2"                                    Sex: Male
 
Weight: 220 pounds                       Race: White
 
NCIC: W302584824                        Nationality: American
 
Occupation: Computer technician
 
Scars and Marks: None known
 
Remarks: Zeve has ties to Southern California and Michigan. He is experienced in computer networking and enjoys hockey, basketball and boating.
 
CAUTION
Michael Leon Zeve is wanted for allegedly having sexual encounters with children under 14 years old between 1996 and 2000, in Irvine, California. It is alleged that Zeve met two of his victims while coaching a children's roller hockey team. Another victim lived in his neighborhood. After befriending the children, Zeve allegedly gave them alcohol, molested the children, and had them to perform certain sex acts upon him. Zeve also allegedly possessed child pornography which was found on his computer.
 
A state arrest warrant was issued in the Central Judicial District, Orange County, California, charging Zeve with lewd acts with a child and possession of child pornography. Zeve was arrested on November 8, 2000, and later released on bail.
 
Zeve is also alleged to have had homemade videotapes of the sexual encounters. When it was discovered that multiple victims were depicted on the videotapes, another state arrest warrant was issued charging Zeve with continuous sexual abuse upon a child, and three counts of lewd acts upon a child. Zeve was arrested again on November 30, 2000 and released on bail. The terms of his bond required that he admit himself to a psychiatric hospital while awaiting trial.
 
Zeve has not been seen since November 15, 2001, the day before he was scheduled to appear for his trial. He was subsequently charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in a federal arrest warrant issued in the Central District of California on May 8, 2002.
 
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FBI OFFICE OR THE NEAREST AMERICAN EMBASSY OR CONSULATE.
Graphic signature of Robert S. Mueller, III
 
ROBERT S. MUELLER, III
DIRECTOR
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535
TELEPHONE: (202) 324-3000

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Former inline hockey coach sought by FBI on child molestation charges.
Inline Hockey Central - June 1, 2002
 
This is the kind of story Inline Hockey Central never wanted to have to report.
 
Unfortunately, like the Graham James case a few years ago in ice hockey, a man entrusted with the care of adolescent inline hockey players is alleged to be a child molester.
 
Inline Hockey Central recently learned that Michael Leon Zeve, a volunteer coach in 1998 at the Wayne Gretzky Roller Hockey Center in Irvine, California, is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for lewd acts with a minor, continuous sex abuse of children, and crimes against children.
 
Police fear that Zeve might be working at another inline hockey facility as a coach, so Inline Hockey Central felt it imperative to run this story in hopes that Zeve will be caught and stopped from harming other children in the future. 
 
MICHAEL LEON ZEVE - Is being sought in connection with crimes against children.
He should be considered armed and dangerous..
 
EMPLOYMENT - Is known to have been employed/self employed in the computer/internet industry.
 
REMARKS - The last known residence for Michael Leon Zeve was Irvine and Foothill Ranch, California. He went to Woodbridge High School in Irvine, California, and owned an online computer
software company called Spectrum Computer of Orange County (www.spectrumca.com). He was
last seen in March 2002 at the Albertsons on Culver and Alton in Irvine, California. He is known to have friends and family in Orange County, California; San Jose, California; Denver, Colorado; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Illinois.
 
Zeve, 27, was last seen in November, 2001, according to the FBI. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at (310) 477-6565.

 

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FBI hunting former coach accused of molesting kids:  
Michael Zeve coached at Wayne Gretzky's Roller Hockey Center
By Eric Johnson
Irvine World News
 

The FBI is hunting an Irvine man - accused of continuously sexually abusing at least three young children - who's been on the run since November.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 27, a former coach at Wayne Gretzky's Roller Hockey Center on Barranca, was due to stand trial last fall on five counts of lewd conduct with a child, but fled a day before his trial was to begin.
 
Agents believe he used his position as a coach to lure children into sexual encounters, which he filmed.
 
During a search of his home in November 2000, FBI agents found homemade videos which showed Zeve molesting at least three different children on three different occasions.
The children appeared to be under the age of 14 and it appeared Zeve knew the children.
Agents also found child pornography on Zeve's computer. The search warrant was granted based on downloaded child pornography traced to Zeve.
 
Zeve was arrested on Nov. 8, 2000, for lewd acts with a child and possession of child pornography, but was released on bail.
 
After finding and questioning the children in the videos, investigators determined that Zeve met the children while coaching a roller hockey team at the hockey center.
 
According to the FBI statement: "These children were befriended by Zeve and in some instances, given alcohol prior to being asked to perform certain sexual acts."
 
Because the children appeared to be getting older in the videos, it's believed the molestation occurred over a long period of time. He was arrested again Nov. 30, and again posted bail.
 
He was allowed to post bail because he wasn't considered a flight risk or a danger to others.
 
The FBI added a new charge to Zeve's plate last week - unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, Agent Julie McWilliams said.
 
He was facing a sentence of 25 years to life if convicted of all counts.
 
Zeve is described as a white male with brown eyes, brown hair, 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 220 pounds.
 
Anyone with information should call the FBI at (310) 477-6565.
 
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Man wanted on molestation charges last seen in March
By Eric Johnson and Jonathon Voltzke
Irvine World News - May 23, 2002


Fugitive Michael Leon Zeve was last seen at the Albertson's on Alton Parkway in Westpark Plaza in March, according to an FBI wanted poster.
 
Zeve, 27, faces five counts of lewd conduct with a child. During a search of his home in November 2000, FBI agents found videotapes allegedly showing Zeve molesting three different children.
 
He bolted a day before his trial was to begin last November and now faces another charge - unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
 
Agents believe Zeve used his position as a volunteer roller hockey coach at the Wayne Gretzky Roller Hockey Center to lure in his victims.
 
Doug Jones, general manager of the hockey center, said Zeve had not coached there in at least three years.
 
The rink is cooperating with authorities, he said.
 
Zeve was arrested in November 2000 after the search of his home. They found child pornography and videos of Zeve molesting three teen-agers, Special Agent Mark Hunter said.
 
The youths, identified from the tapes and interviewed by authorities, were plied with alcohol and molested at hotels and at Zeve's house, Hunter said.
 
The arrest was not publicized. Hunter said authorities are counting on the public's help in finding Zeve, who owned Spectrum Computer of Orange County, an online computer software company.
 
He attended Woodbridge High School.
 
"He's my son, but I haven't seen him," Robert Zeve said from the home he shared with his son. "I don't know anything about him."
 
He is known to have friends and family in San Jose, Denver, Charlotte, N.C., and Illinois, according to the FBI. He was born in Michigan.
 
Zeve's former players and their parents said the man authorities seek is not the man they remember.
 
"It's too bad," said Kris Mungo, whose son Vince played on championship all-star squads for Zeve three years ago. "He was very dedicated ... he spent a lot of time with the kids. Never once did I have a question."

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Convicted Killer Scheduled to Be Executed Tonight; New Developments in Michael Jackson Trial
CNN - May 12, 2005

. . . Very quickly to tonight`s all-points bulletin. FBI and law enforcement across the country on the lookout for this man, Michael Leon Zeve, wanted by the FBI for alleged sex encounters with children under 14 between `96 and 2000 in California, 6`2``, 220 pounds, brown eyes. If you have info on Zeve, call the FBI, 310-477-6565.. . .

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OC Weekly (City News Service) - July 6, 2005
 
IRVINE – An alleged child molester who became a fugitive on the eve of his Orange County trial was arrested in Israel and is due back in the Southland by the end of the week to face trial, the FBI announced today.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 31, is accused of sexual encounters with children under the age of 14 in Irvine between 1996 and 2000.
 
Zeve, who fled a day before his trial on Nov. 15, 2001, was apprehended in Tel Aviv late last month, Laura Eimiller of the FBI said.
 
Zeve had been arrested earlier in the year by Tel Aviv authorities on suspicion of child molestation there.
 
He had been using an alias, and his alleged connection to the Irvine molestations came when a source in Israel recognized him and searched the Internet, discovering he had fled Orange County, Eimiller said.
 
Zeve was returned to New York on June 29 under escort by the FBI's legal attache stationed in Tel Aviv. He is expected to be returned to Orange County later in the week to face prosecution by California, Eimiller said.
 
Zeve allegedly met two of his victims while coaching a children's roller hockey team, and another child lived in his neighborhood, Eimiller said.
 
After befriending the youngsters, Zeve gave them alcohol, molested them and had them perform certain sex acts upon him, authorities allege.
 
In addition, child pornography was found on Zeve's computer, according to prosecutors, who allege he made videotapes of the sexual encounters.
 
When it was discovered that multiple victims at markedly different stages of youth were depicted on the videotape, another state arrest warrant was issued charging Zeve with continuous sexual abuse on a child and three counts of lewd acts upon a child. He was re-arrested on Nov. 30, 2000, and released on bail, she said.
 
The terms of his bond required that he admit himself to a psychiatric hospital while awaiting trial
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Associated Press - July 7, 2005

IRVINE, Calif. - An alleged child molester who fled the day before his trial nearly four years ago was arrested in Israel and will arrive in Orange County by the end of the week, authorities said.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 31, is accused of molesting a neighborhood child and members of a youth roller hockey team he coached between 1996 and 2000. Prosecutors said Zeve provided alcohol to the children and videotaped some of the sexual encounters.
 
He was released on bail in late 2000 on the condition that he check into a psychiatric hospital for treatment pending trial, said Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokeswoman. He fled the day before his trial, scheduled for Nov. 16, 2001.
 
Zeve was arrested in Tel Aviv earlier this year on suspicion of child molestation, but was only connected to the Orange County cases late last month when an Internet search revealed he was wanted on similar charges here, Eimiller said. Zeve had been using an alias in Israel, she said.
 
Zeve, who arrived in New York under FBI escort on June 29, now faces multiple charges of committing lewd acts with a child, possession of child pornography and continuous sexual abuse of a child, along with a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

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Accused O.C. Child Molester Is Caught
By David Haldane
Los Angeles Times - July 7, 2005

Man charged in 2000 with assaulting three children in Irvine is arrested in Israel. He had vanished the day before trial.


An alleged child molester who disappeared on the eve of his trial 3 1/2 years ago has been arrested in Israel and will be returned to face charges in Orange County next week, authorities said Wednesday.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 31, is accused of molesting three children under the age of 14 from 1996 to 2000 while living in Irvine, where he worked as a computer technician and coached a children's roller hockey team.
 
After befriending two children on his team and another in his neighborhood, prosecutors allege, Zeve gave them alcohol, molested them repeatedly and made videotapes of the sexual encounters over a period of years.
 
He was arrested in November 2000, released on bond, rearrested the same month when new charges were added and released on bond again.
 
On Nov. 14, 2001, the day before Zeve was scheduled to appear in court, he disappeared.
"This is somebody we've been looking for for years," FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
Zeve resurfaced this year in Tel Aviv, she said, where local authorities had arrested him under the name Aaron Michael on suspicion of molesting children there. After learning Zeve's real name, Eimiller said, a female acquaintance of his "did some research on the Internet and discovered that this was one and the same as the individual wanted in Orange County."
 
The woman contacted the FBI, "and everything worked out beautifully. She should be commended," Eimiller said.
 
On June 29, Zeve was extradited to New York City, where he remains in FBI custody. Plans are for an Orange County sheriff's investigator to fly there to bring him back early next week.
 
"He fled the first time, so he definitely won't be out on bail," sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said. "It's time to face the music."


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 Molestation suspect on way back
OC Register - July 7, 2005


IRVINE – A man who became a fugitive on the eve of his Orange County molestation trial was arrested in Israel and is due back by the end of the week, the FBI announced Wednesday.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 31, is accused of sexual encounters with children under the age of 14 in Irvine from 1996 to 2000.
 
Zeve, who fled a day before his November 2001 trial, was apprehended in Tel Aviv late last month, the FBI's Laura Eimiller said.
 
He had been arrested earlier in the year on suspicion of child molestation in Tel Aviv. His connection to the Irvine case was revealed when a source in Israel searched the Internet and discovered that he had fled Orange County, Eimiller said.
 
Zeve was returned to New York on June 29 and is expected to be back in Orange County this week to face prosecution, Eimiller said.
 
Zeve allegedly met two of the Irvine children while coaching a roller-hockey team. Another child lived in his neighborhood. After befriending the youngsters, Zeve gave them alcohol and molested them, prosecutors charge.
 
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Fugitive denied bail in molestation case
OC Weekly - July 19, 2005

WESTMINSTER – A judge denied bail Monday for a man who fled the country on the eve of his trial but was arrested in Israel and returned to Orange County, a court clerk said.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 31, who is accused of sexual encounters with children under the age of 14 in Irvine from 1996 to 2000, made his initial court appearance after his return.
 
Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals rescheduled his arraignment for Wednesday, the clerk said.
 
Zeve fled a day before the Nov. 15, 2001, scheduled start of his trial. He was apprehended this year by Tel Aviv authorities on suspicion of child molestation there.
 
He had been using an alias. His connection to the Irvine case came when a source in Israel recognized him and searched the Internet, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
 
Zeve is suspected of meeting two of the Irvine children while coaching a roller hockey team. Another child lived in his neighborhood, Eimiller said. After befriending the youngsters, Zeve gave them alcohol and molested them, authorities allege.

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Associated Press  - Tuesday, July 19, 2005
 
Westminster, Calif. (AP) -- An alleged child molester who fled the day before his trial nearly four years ago but later was arrested in Israel on similar charges has been denied bail.
 
Michael Leon Zeve, 31, made his first court appearance Monday on charges of molesting a neighborhood child and members of a youth roller hockey team he coached in Irvine between 1996 and 2000. He provided alcohol to the children and videotaped sexual encounters, prosecutors have alleged.
 
He was released on bail in late 2000 on the condition that he check into a psychiatric hospital for treatment pending trial, set for Nov. 16, 2001, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said previously.
 
Zeve was arrested in Tel Aviv earlier this year on suspicion of child molestation, but was only connected to the California cases late last month when an Internet search revealed he was wanted on similar charges, Eimiller said. Zeve had been using an alias in Israel.
 
Zeve now faces multiple charges of committing lewd acts with a child, possession of child pornography and continuous sexual abuse of a child, along with a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

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By R. SCOTT MOXLEY
OC Weekly - September 6, 2007 - 3:00 pm
 
Michael Leon Zeve—a former Irvine youth-sports coach—likes sex with boys, but the 32-year-old who led the FBI on a five-year international manhunt won't see another kid until at least 2023.
 
Over the emotional objections of relatives of three victims, Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard Toohey accepted an Aug. 31 plea bargain that will send Zeve to a California prison for a term of 18 years to life.
 
Zeve, who coached at Wayne Gretzky's Roller Hockey Center in Irvine, sat silently in his faded, tattered, yellow-orange jail jump suit with scuffed white sneakers. Two deputies handcuffed the 6-foot-2, 225-pound man's right wrist to a chair. Refusing to look at the relatives of the victims who sat in the courtroom, he buried his chin in his chest for most of the 19-minute hearing.
 
Zeve's shame was understandable. In the late 1990s, the Woodbridge High School graduate used his volunteer coaching job—coupled with liquor, marijuana and pornography—to repeatedly lure three boys, ages 11 to 13, into sex. Sometimes he filmed his crimes. On occasions when a boy resisted, Zeve made threats or promised to pay him as much as $200 for sex, according to Deputy District Attorney Kal Kaliban.
 
One of the youngsters eventually confided to his mother. Police arrested Zeve, but days before his 2000 trial, he disappeared. The FBI, Orange County Sheriff's Department and even Court TV's Nancy Grace broadcast news nationwide of the wanted man.
 
Zeve escaped to Israel, where he lived under an alias, Aaron Michael. The fake identity crumbled after authorities in Tel Aviv arrested him on suspicion of molesting children. Someone there thought to check the FBI's "Most Wanted" posters. A photographic match led Israeli authorities to boot him from their country in 2005 and a pretrial plea deal.
 
Public Defender Douglas L. Labato said his client declined to apologize at the Aug. 31 session because Zeve didn't want to appear "self-serving." Instead, after the hearing, Labato relayed Zeve's message, not to the victims' relatives, who were standing 15 feet away, but to huddled reporters: "My client wants the victims to know that he apologizes."
 
Perhaps sensing the hollowness of the assertion, Labato quickly added, "That's why he didn't want them to have to testify."
 
In the plea bargain, Zeve forfeited a trial and nearly two years' worth of jail credits in exchange for the possibility of parole about 16 years from now.
 
The punishment wasn't nearly what the victims or their relatives wanted. One, a middle-aged father near tears, begged Toohey to toughen Zeve's sentence to at least 25 years to life.
 
"What galls me is that he could get out of prison a much younger man than I am now," said the father, whom the Weekly is not identifying because of the nature of the crimes. "My son is not who he used to be. He used to have fun and be outgoing. He's just a withdrawn kid now. He was humiliated by this man."
 
The father, who was gripping the podium and staring at the back of Zeve's buzz-cut head, looked ready to cry.
 
"You ruined my son's life," he continued. "You should rot in prison for the rest of your life."
 
Next, a brother and mother read statements from the two other victims. Each recounted how Zeve had lured them to secluded places, including a hotel, gotten them intoxicated or high, and then made them perform sex acts. Concluded one of the victims: "You are just a nasty pedophile. You are a sick man. It was all a game to you. But I was 12!"
 
Kaliban shared the victim's sentiments. "My hope is that a parole board will do its job, and Zeve will spend the rest of his life in prison," he told the Weekly. "I think he's the type of guy who will re-offend if he gets out."
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--Margaret Mead


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