Served time in prison for theft
APF head Hilton has history of legal trouble
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Michael Hilton of American Police Force arrived in Hardin with promises of Mercedes police cars and expertise in operatingprisons. He delivered the cars last week, but may have learnedabout prisons following a 1993 conviction for grand theft.
Public records from police and state and federal courts in California show that Michael Anthony Hilton, using that name andmore than a dozen aliases over several years, is cited in multiplecriminal, civil and bankruptcy cases, and was sentenced in 1993 totwo years in state prison in California.
Hilton pleaded guilty in March 1993 to 14 felonies, including 10 counts of grand theft, one count of attempted grand theft and threecounts of diversion of construction funds, according to OrangeCounty court records. He was sentenced to two years in prison, butit is unclear how much time he served.
Court records in that case list his real name as Michael Hilton, but they also include the aliases Midrag Ilia Dokovitch, MidragIlia Dokovich and Michael Miodrag.
Hilton, who speaks heavily accented English, has told reporters that he is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Montenegro, acountry bordering Serbia, and once part of the former Republic ofYugoslavia.
The same aliases and other similar ones, all with slightly different spellings, show up in many other court documents citingHilton, including a May 2003 Orange County case in which Hiltonpleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.
A booking photo from the Huntington Beach Police Department from Hilton's DUI arrest on March 14, 2003, shows him heavier, beardlessand with more hair than he has now.
It also shows the same facial features, including a distinct arched wrinkle over his left eye, along with three deep browfurrows, small, circular indentations in the center of his foreheadand a cleft tip on the nose.
Michael Hilton and his aliases are listed as defendants in various Orange County civil cases alleging fraud and breach ofwarranty, including a March 2000 case where he is accused of fraud,larceny, breach of contract and false pretenses.
Court documents in that case allege that Hilton and others solicited investments of hundreds of thousands of dollars from theplaintiff for the creation of collectible Super Bowl commemorativecoins.
The complaint alleges that Hilton and others falsely told the plaintiff that the money would be used for the design andmanufacture of the coins, and to pay for a National Football Leaguelicense to produce them.
In fact, the complaint states, no such license was ever issued by the NFL.
Court documents show that the plaintiff obtained a 2001 judgment for $200,000 against Hilton, listing his aliases of MiodragDokovich and Midrag Ilia Dokovich.
Hilton also declared Chapter 13 bankruptcy twice during a 15-month period.
He filed under his real name, citing the alias Miodrag A. Dokovich, in November 2002, listing a Stanton, Calif., home addressand a Fountain Valley, Calif., business address tied to theBelgrade Market Liquor and Deli.
In February 2004, Hilton filed under his real name, citing the alias Miodrag Dokovich, and listing a Santa Ana, Calif., homeaddress. He estimated his assets at less than $50,000, and listedas creditors only a credit union and his landlord.
Both bankruptcy filings appear to have been intended to delay eviction proceedings against him. Under federal bankruptcy law,tenants are generally protected from eviction while they reorganizetheir finances.
Anh Q.D. Nguyen, a Garden Grove attorney, said in an e-mail that he represented Hilton's landlord in an eviction case against Hiltonthat was filed in January 2004.
Nguyen said that Hilton "filed an eleventh-hour bankruptcy petition in which my office successfully obtained relief from thebankruptcy automatic stay, in order to reclaim possession of therented premises."
Hilton had also been named as a defendant in July 2002 as part of separate eviction proceedings before his bankruptcy filing thatyear.
Hilton filed both bankruptcies without an attorney, paying less than $275 in filing fees for each. Both petitions were dismissed bythe court after Hilton failed to provide necessary documentation,including a financial reorganization plan.
Chapter 13 bankruptcies generally remain on personal credit histories for seven years, and show up on standard creditchecks.
When asked on Wednesday about Hilton's business dealings before his involvement with APF, company spokeswoman Becky Shay said,"That information is not going to be made available at thispoint."
"That's his private business. He is a man who distinguishes between private and business, between personal and corporate," shesaid.
Shay said she would check with Hilton for a comment about his DUI arrest, but did not provide further details.
She did not respond to an additional call made later Wednesday seeking more information about Hilton's other past legalproblems.
Posted inMontana,Top-headlinesonWednesday, September 30, 2009 6:25 pmUpdated: 6:51 am.| Tags:Michael Hilton,American Police Force,
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