NE Man Arrested for Operating Bogus Search and Rescue Business

When someone mentions, sees, hears or reads about U.S. Search and Rescue, they often think about crews defying the odds and braving the elements to find survivors and victims of tragic events including natural and manmade disasters.

But, police in Bellevue don't share that warm and fuzzy feeling after their probe of a business by that name.

Investigators determined eight companies shipped a variety of search and rescue equipment -- about $60,00 worth -- to U.S. Search and Rescue in Bellevue under the guise the company was going to help FEMA with disasters, according to WOWT. 

“...They do no search and rescue,” Bellevue Police Capt. Tim Melvin said. “It’s just they keep getting all this gear in through deception and paperwork and never pay.”

But the equipment is real. Among the items recovered in a townhouse basement included  a $20,000 patient monitor or portable lights and sirens for a first responder vehicle.

Also recovered were shirt, pants and a helmet for the chief of U.S. Search and Rescue.

John Hochsteller, 51, who described himself as the chief, was charged with felony theft by deception.

“I checked, and I ran through the state and ran through FEMA and he has no certification for any search and rescue operation.  No firefighter certification, no medical certification, no like EMT, paramedic, or anything like that. It’s just all fake,” said Bellevue Sgt. Jason Melrose told reporters.

Hochsteller is accused of using photoshopped images of fire and rescue efforts to convince vendors to send gear and get paid later, police reported adding that payday for those companies never came. 

The boat with “U.S. SEARCH AND RESCUE - REGION 7" marked on its side that sits behind the suspect's house was part of the ruse. But, police don't believe it came from one of the companies waiting for payment. 

“You just scratch your head. We’ve recovered quite a bit of equipment, so it’s not like he’s turning it around. It’s not something you can take to a pawn shop, or the public would want to purchase in the first place. It’s very specialized, expensive gear,” Capt. Melvin said. 

In the end, the companies may get their equipment back.