Traveling toy thief gets 15 months in prison
A Northbrook woman who joined her parents on a cross-country crime spree targeting toy stores was sentenced to 15 months in prison Thursday.
Julia Bogdanov, along with Branko and Lela Bogdanov (also known as “Maca Moa”), has admitted targeting the stores and then selling the goods online. The feds say the items brought $4.2 million on eBay.
The three Bogdanovs were arrested in March 2014 by the U.S. Secret Service, which teamed up with investigators from Toys “R” Us, eBay and Barnes & Noble to nab the family. A prosecutor has said authorities found $74,698 in merchandise in the family’s tony Northbrook home.
Julia Bogdanov, who is pregnant and due in April, faced up to five years in prison. Her attorney, Scott Frankel, asked the judge for probation. But U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood granted a federal prosecutor’s request for the 15-month sentence.
“She’s been committing crimes sine the 1990s,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Havey said.
Julia Bogdanov is not required to begin serving her sentence until Sept. 12. After the judge handed down the punishment, Julia Bogdanov reminded the judge that “I’m a first-time mom. This is my first baby.”
Frankel argued in a court filing that Julia Bogdanov, 36, grew up the oldest of five children in a traditional household with rigid expectations. He said her job was to cook, clean, help her mother and take care of the younger children. She was also expected to travel with her parents.
“She did not have any real choice or ability to refuse participation in the trip,” Frankel wrote. “Yes, she is an adult. Yes, she is responsible for her own actions. But she was under the enormous pressure and expectations her family placed upon her. “