A Frederick man was found guilty of assault yesterday for posing as an enforcer to collect $10,400 in sports gambling debts from two University of Maryland Baltimore County students last October.
But a jury in Baltimore County Circuit Court took less than an hour to reject more serious armed robbery and handgun charges against Chih Yang "Kenny" Lin, 24, who then also was a UMBC student but has graduated with a degree in biochemistry.
Judge J. William Hinkel scheduled sentencing on the two assault convictions for April 12. Lin and his family, all natives of Taiwan who moved to Maryland in 1966, expressed relief at the verdict.
Two fraternity brothers were running a bookmaking operation, taking bets on college and professional football games, according to testimony during the three-day trial. The victims, Robert McCartle, 22, of Ontario, Canada, and Mark Kaifer, 19, of Baltimore won at first, then began to lose and doubled their bets to try to recoup their losses -- running up the $10,400 debt.
On Oct. 27, Lin put on fake dreadlocks and a dark baggy outfit of the type worn by rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg to pose as a collector for the two bookmakers at an apartment on Halfpenny Lane near Westview.
The victims said Lin placed a gun on a table and threatened to blow their heads off, but defense attorney Ronald I. Kurland insisted repeatedly in closing arguments, "There was no gun."
"My client is guilty," he said. "Guilty of assault: of placing someone in fear of bodily harm. . . . Kenny believed the money was owed. He went over there dressed as Snoopy Doggy Dogg and threatened someone."
He suggested that the two victims lied about a gun to make it appear that their lives were in danger -- hoping that their parents would be relieved that they were alive and not pull them out of school for gambling. He noted that they had ignored two police stations en route back to their dormitory room after the threat.
"If Mark's father hadn't found out, we wouldn't be here," Mr. Kurland said. But the father contacted the FBI and county police, and Lin was arrested last Halloween at his job as a waiter.
Assistant State's Attorney Peter McDowell labeled the defendant's story "ridiculous," questioning why the victims would pay $4,500 of the debt before concocting a story.
"This is not a college prank," Mr. McDowell told the jury, urging a conviction on the armed robbery and handgun charges. But, after the verdict, jurors expressed criticism of the victims' gambling, he said.