Fraud Suspect Fails to Appear for Trial

A 36-year-old Newbury Park man facing charges of using bogus money orders to buy automatic weapons has disappeared, failing to show up in court last week for trial and forcing a judge to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Family members of Timothy Kootenay filed a missing persons report in late October with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department after last seeing him at a Simi Valley restaurant, said Det. Dave Ehrlich.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Aveis said Kootenay’s failure to appear also meant that his mother, Arla Shultz, had to forfeit a $25,000 bail bond, which she posted to keep her son out of jail while he awaited trail. Family members last saw Kootenay on Oct. 25, Aveis said.

Kootenay, who if convicted could face up to 3 1/2 years in jail, had once tried to kill himself while in jail, and Aveis said his family is concerned about his safety. “Of course, I hope that he is all right emotionally and physically,” he said. “But he needs to stand trial on these charges.”

Kootenay is accused of using bogus money orders created by a militant, anti-government group to buy six semiautomatic assault rifles. He faces eight charges of fraud and related crimes.