Mike DeBardeleben
Encyclopedia
James Mitchell "Mike" DeBardeleben (March 20, 1940 - January 26, 2011) was a convicted rapist
and counterfeit
er who became known as the "mall passer" due to his practice of passing counterfeit bills in shopping malls across the country. After his arrest for counterfeiting, he was found to have committed much more serious sex crimes. Although he was never brought to trial for murder, he was the principal suspect in two homicides and he remains a suspect in several others. He died of pneumonia at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina
in early 2011. http://www.authorlink.com/news/item/2587/Sex-Criminal-DeBardeleben-Dies-Book-Chronicles-Hi.
, the second of three children. He had an older brother named Ralph and a younger sister whose identity is not publicly known. In 1945, when James was five years old, his family moved to Austin, Texas
. His father who was serving in the U.S. Navy was then shipped out to the South Pacific
for nine months. In 1949, his family moved to Kentucky for a short while before relocating to Frankfurt, Germany but after a year his family moved again.
In the Spring of 1957 he was expelled from Peter Schuyler High School and did not seek further formal education. In October that year he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at the Lackland Air Force Base
in Texas. Only after a year he was court-martialed for disorderly behavior and was sentenced to two months in the base stockade. In 1958 he was ordered to see a psychiatrist for counseling after he was pronounced AWOL several times. At the age of eighteen he was discharged from the air force and moved to Fort Worth, Texas
with relatives of the family.
In 1959 he attempted school again, enrolling in R.L. Paschal High School, but after three months was expelled. In August that year he married his first wife, Linda Weir, but three weeks later separated from her. Also that month he was arrested for attempted robbery with an accomplice, followed two weeks later by his involvement in a string of auto thefts, and was sentenced to five years probation. In October with an unknown woman, he fathered a premature daughter who was a stillborn.
He later met Charlotte Weber who was seventeen at the time he started courting her. In March of 1960 he impregnated Charlotte and on June 9 the same year, married her. On December 12, 1960 he successfully fathered a daughter, Bethene. Afterward Charlotte became pregnant again with another child but was forced by Michael to give it up for adoption. In August of 1961, his brother Ralph committed suicide for unknown reasons.
agents were investigating a string of counterfeiting cases in which a man was determined to be entering a mall with a wad of counterfeit $20 bills
, making a small purchase at each store in the mall, and receiving most of the remainder in legitimate cash as change. DeBardeleben was identified as the suspect in these crimes, and a national manhunt ensued.
At the time of his arrest, more wads of counterfeit $20 bills were found in his car, each with a label stating the city in which it would be used. His counterfeiting operation was also discovered, along with evidence of sex crimes.
DeBardeleben was convicted of multiple crimes and sentenced to serving a 375-year sentence at Butner Federal Bureau of Prison, North Carolina.
The DSM-IV cites DeBardeleben as an example of antisocial personality disorder
.
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
er who became known as the "mall passer" due to his practice of passing counterfeit bills in shopping malls across the country. After his arrest for counterfeiting, he was found to have committed much more serious sex crimes. Although he was never brought to trial for murder, he was the principal suspect in two homicides and he remains a suspect in several others. He died of pneumonia at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina
Butner, North Carolina
Butner is a town in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,591 at the 2010 census]. Butner was managed by the state of North Carolina from 1947 through 2007. A bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly incorporating the town was signed by Gov. Mike Easley on...
in early 2011. http://www.authorlink.com/news/item/2587/Sex-Criminal-DeBardeleben-Dies-Book-Chronicles-Hi.
Background
DeBardeleben grew up in Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, the second of three children. He had an older brother named Ralph and a younger sister whose identity is not publicly known. In 1945, when James was five years old, his family moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. His father who was serving in the U.S. Navy was then shipped out to the South Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
for nine months. In 1949, his family moved to Kentucky for a short while before relocating to Frankfurt, Germany but after a year his family moved again.
Adult life
In 1956, at the age of sixteen DeBardeleben physically assaulted his mother; it is unknown what sparked this violent encounter. On September 8 that year, at the age of sixteen, he purchased two handguns and ammunition with a friend. Later that month he was arrested and convicted for his first felony, possessing a concealed firearm. This arrest was the first of many that followed including arrests for sodomy, attempted murder and kidnapping.In the Spring of 1957 he was expelled from Peter Schuyler High School and did not seek further formal education. In October that year he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at the Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
in Texas. Only after a year he was court-martialed for disorderly behavior and was sentenced to two months in the base stockade. In 1958 he was ordered to see a psychiatrist for counseling after he was pronounced AWOL several times. At the age of eighteen he was discharged from the air force and moved to Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
with relatives of the family.
In 1959 he attempted school again, enrolling in R.L. Paschal High School, but after three months was expelled. In August that year he married his first wife, Linda Weir, but three weeks later separated from her. Also that month he was arrested for attempted robbery with an accomplice, followed two weeks later by his involvement in a string of auto thefts, and was sentenced to five years probation. In October with an unknown woman, he fathered a premature daughter who was a stillborn.
He later met Charlotte Weber who was seventeen at the time he started courting her. In March of 1960 he impregnated Charlotte and on June 9 the same year, married her. On December 12, 1960 he successfully fathered a daughter, Bethene. Afterward Charlotte became pregnant again with another child but was forced by Michael to give it up for adoption. In August of 1961, his brother Ralph committed suicide for unknown reasons.
Mall passing case
In the early 1980s, Secret ServiceUnited States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agents were investigating a string of counterfeiting cases in which a man was determined to be entering a mall with a wad of counterfeit $20 bills
United States twenty-dollar bill
The United States twenty-dollar bill is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. President Andrew Jackson is currently featured on the front side of the bill, which is why the twenty-dollar bill is often called a "Jackson," while the White House is featured on the reverse side.The...
, making a small purchase at each store in the mall, and receiving most of the remainder in legitimate cash as change. DeBardeleben was identified as the suspect in these crimes, and a national manhunt ensued.
At the time of his arrest, more wads of counterfeit $20 bills were found in his car, each with a label stating the city in which it would be used. His counterfeiting operation was also discovered, along with evidence of sex crimes.
DeBardeleben was convicted of multiple crimes and sentenced to serving a 375-year sentence at Butner Federal Bureau of Prison, North Carolina.
The DSM-IV cites DeBardeleben as an example of antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is described by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition , as an Axis II personality disorder characterized by "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood...
.