OFFICER ARRESTED - PLEAD & FINED
Elyria – Elyria Police Officers had to notify one of their own on Monday that he was being placed under arrest and charged with Disorderly Conduct – Condition Dangerous Self / Others and Criminal Trespass – Restricted Area.Elyria Police Officer Eric Vankerhove was officially charged for following a 17-year-old female into a woman’s restroom at the Marc’s Store on Midway Blvd in Elyria 2 months ago and kissing her.
According to a Police report, the 17 year old female advised Officers that Vankerhove, while working an off duty job at the Marc’s store on June 13th, followed her into the women’s restroom and kissed her. The incident was also witnessed by the store manager.
Although a court date of September 17th was set for Vankerhove he appeared in court today and plead no contest to the charges.
Judge Lisa Locke Graves found Vankerhove Guilty on both charges.
Vankerhove was fined $100.00 on each count and ordered to pay court costs of $89.00. Judge Locke Graves suspended $50.00 of each count – condition that Vankerhove have no contact with the Juvenile female noted in police report.
posted by TMC NEWS at 3:03 PM
54 Comments:
Sounds like someone got off easy
ummm does anyone else think the sentence was a tad bit light. it is bad enough he took advantage of a woman in a restroom let alone a juvenile. i made an illegal left hand turn in elyria a couple of years ago and my fine was over
$200. what a fucking joke our justice system is.
Why so light on the punishment? If I were the girls parents, I would be outraged!
EPD covering their own AGAIN! Can't wait til the S**T really hits the fan around here....
Must be nice to get the preferential treatment.
If I did that I would be in jail right now.
Shouldn't he have to be listed as a predator now?
Wow... how does he manage to get a court date for september 17, and then have it moved up like that.
I wonder if it had anything to do with not wanting the media to cover it???
This is so wrong. He should quit, and Judge Lisa Locke Graves should be ashamed for helping sweep a sex crime under the rug.
By the way, don't be fooled for a second. This was a sex crime. If a teacher did this EPD would say the teacher used his position as an authority figure to take advantage of a JUVENILE.
When a cop does it, they rearrange court dates and charge him $100.
You people are pathetic and disgusting!
I'm sure if I did this the civil servants would have ganged up on me and beaten me senseless. And then I would become a registered sex predator.
See this is what I mean when I tell people how corrupt the justice system is at the top levels.
That judge should be fired along with all others who cover this up or go easy and give preferential treatment to that civil servant. The benefits of hiring family and friends. I know firsthand because I watched EPD bypass the eligibility list and hire a civil servants son.
To the Elyria court system, civil servants, and whoever else is involved: you are a sorrowful and pathetic excuse for Americans.
Now, I DO feel that this punishment is VERY light, and likely would have been a lot heavier for someone else such as- A NORMAL CITIZEN.
BUT, (just playing devil's advocate), kissing a juvenile is not considered statutory rape... nor illegal...
But, as previously said, it is kind of funny to have HALF of the fines suspended...
Also, moving a court date up is standard. If your court date is Sept. 17th all you do is have your attorney go in and submit a non-guilty plea then they reschedule for a pre-trial. At the pre-trial you usually can cut a pretty good deal with prosecutors to spare them the time and tax dollars of continuing more proceedings.
A court only cares about 2 things- winning, and receiving money. So, by them cutting his fines in half, they just basically broke even on the amount of tax dollars it would cost to have them operate more proceedings.
(not that I have been through the system or anything) :P
NATE
this is a complete joke..any one who wasn't an officer would get a fine in the thousands, jail time, and be required to register as a SEX OFFENDER. the officer should be fired and the judge needs a slap upside the head. some work we have going on around here...
Maybe you should read and understand whatever law you think the officer committed before you comment. As far as the sentence, it was no different than any other citizen. And I am sure that one or more of the posters knows that first hand.
'I'm sure if I did this the civil servants would have ganged up on me and beaten me senseless. And then I would become a registered sex predator.'
With an attitude like that I can see why you didn't get hired and maybe you should be beaten senseless.
Next:
How about all of you people thinking that kissing someone is a sex crime, locate an Ohio Revised Code book and look into the sexually oriented crime section and I'm sure none of you will find anything fitting the crime.
Anyone joe citizen can come in, in the morning and plead out to their charges at the normal arraignment times in Elyria Muni Court and probably every other court in the USA.
This is absolutely disgusting. He is a sworn police officer who we are supposed to trust. Not to mention he is a married man. A police officer is held to a higher standard for many reasons. They know the law better than a common citizen and are aware of the consequences. They are called on to respond to these types of crimes everyday and the citizens are supposed to trust his police reports. This is a judgement of his character as a person, which reflects his ability to keep a clear vision on as an officer. He has to go. I don't trust him to police our streets in a manner that meets the Elyria citizens' expectations. We all know how corrupt our legal system is in Elyria. IS TIME TO GET RID OF THIS CORRUPTION! I will be posting this as anonymous so I won't be harrassed by our own cult-like police department.
**Disorderly Conduct – Condition Dangerous Self / Others and Criminal Trespass – Restricted Area**. HOW ABOUT A STALKING CHARGE with INTENT!?. I loved it when Channel 19 was covering this. When they had the copy of the court filing, the officers (stalkers) name was BLACKEN OUT with a magic marker, but the Victims name was listed CLEAR as day. Looks like Medders boys slid though the system again. To the Victims family. Please be ashamed in your Elyria Police Dept. We are!. Maybe even consider a civil suit. Oh wait a minute Medders is already strapped for money!!!
THIS OFFICER WORKED IN THE CHILD SEX CRIME UNIT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT! Are you defending him? You think this ended with a kiss in a public restroom? Get serious. This guy is a dirtbag, a sex offender in a uniform. He deserves nothing less then termination and at the very least court ordered counseling. This girl is a minor, and he doesn't seem to know that you shouldn't make sexual advances on a child.....doesn't this worry anyone? What will he do next? How young will the next child be? Whose fault will it be when it happens again?
First our great Law Director is sued with a sexual harrassement lawsuit (more than once) and now this! Makes you wonder what the city has actually been successful in hiding. GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE AND AWAY FROM PATROLLING OUR STREETS. It's time for the mayor to go, as well!
I am distgusted and feel horribly for this mans wife and children. He should be ashamed of himself and resign from his position. It is the expectation that police officers are held to a higher standard that other citizens. He knows the law because he lives it everyday. He knew better... and was not only leaving his family out to dry but also the Elyria Police Department, which really does have some outstanding staff. He clearly has no concern about anyone other than himself.
This is a poor pethitic excuse of a cop. This guy should be let go. I have to give credit to the police department for tuning this over to the prosecutor even though the girls family did not want to go through with charges. I disagree with the police department for blacking out the officers name at first but published the girls. The judge should be removed from office because she let him off with only $100 fine. What a joke. Cops are held to a higher standered judge. This officer should be let go and if an arbitrator gets his job back he should be put on desk work only. This brings me back to an officer that was drunk and partying on the job. Epd got rid of him but arbitrator got him his job back. Must be nice get drunk at work and never lose your job. Pethitic
To Anonymous at 7:30AM:
You said, "With an attitude like that I can see why you didn't get hired and maybe you should be beaten senseless."
Do you always advocate violence? Doesn't that get you into hot water? And the point is that these civil servants are supposed to be trusted and set an example. He broke that trust.
By the way, you inaccurately read into my post.
From my post at 10:39PM, I said, "I know firsthand because I watched EPD bypass the eligibility list and hire a civil servants son." My friend had complained to me about EPD's crooked hiring practices. He showed me what went on so I then watched it happen. I already have a much better job than a civil servant job at EPD, thank you very much.
So if you "read between the lines" and assume before you get your facts straight, you acquire bad information and have muddled thoughts. This seems to be common practice for politicians, judges, lawyers, civil servants, and the like. Are you a civil servant?
Do me a favor, please. Go and do what this Elyria civil servant did and come back here and tell us what happened. Let's see how the "Ohio Revised Code" worked for you.
he's sick in the head. and his punishment did not fit the crime. he's lucky it's not my daughter and we'll leave it at that.
"By the way, you inaccurately read into my post.
From my post at 10:39PM, I said, "I know firsthand because I watched EPD bypass the eligibility list and hire a civil servants son." My friend had complained to me about EPD's crooked hiring practices. He showed me what went on so I then watched it happen. I already have a much better job than a civil servant job at EPD, thank you very much."
I didn't inaccurately read your post I read it and it appears that your the bitter person who got passed over. Maybe if you had said a friend got passed over the assumption wouldn't have been made. Am I'm not condoning violence, but you seem to think that every police officer will beat you for any reason. Get a clue not every police officer in this world has that attitude.
**Disorderly Conduct – Condition Dangerous Self / Others and Criminal Trespass – Restricted Area**. HOW ABOUT A STALKING CHARGE with INTENT!?. I loved it when Channel 19 was covering this. When they had the copy of the court filing, the officers (stalkers) name was BLACKEN OUT with a magic marker, but the Victims name was listed CLEAR as day. Looks like Medders boys slid though the system again. To the Victims family. Please be ashamed in your Elyria Police Dept. We are!. Maybe even consider a civil suit. Oh wait a minute Medders is already strapped for money!!!
9:16 AM
WOW. What officer are you and how upstanding are you when you do your job? People in glass houses should not throw stones.
this was an appropriate sentence. Read the ORC. He will not and should not lose his job. The EPD is a fine group and this officer made a mistake.
Congrats to teh judge for the sentence and keeping it civil.
You can obtain your own copy of the police complaint. See it for yourself. Do the research.
How many criminal attorneys will now challenge him in court defending their clients? They may not get away with it but their comments may stick with a jury.
Google Ohio Teacher Kisses female Student and you will see that this teacher was charged for kissing a 15 year old female
student "passionately". He lost his job and was required to register not to mention he probably had more than 100 to pay in fines. Vankerhove is kind of a rare last name. Wonder if Gross Sexual Imposition runs in the family. WWW.ELYRIAMUNICOURT.ORG
To anonymous who said the following:
this was an appropriate sentence. Read the ORC. He will not and should not lose his job. The EPD is a fine group and this officer made a mistake.
Congrats to teh judge for the sentence and keeping it civil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From your comments it sounds as if you may be a city employee brainwashed by your job! What do you think an officer would do if they're 17yr old daughter was in the same situation? I know a lot of officers in this city and others. I guarantee they would be ready to really hurt this guy. It doesn't matter what the "so called law" states. The same "so called law" allows sex offenders, murderers and other highly dangerous people to walk the streets with a slap on the wrist. It's always convenient to hide behind the "law", huh? Some of you are missing the major point here: THIS OFFICER WAS THE DETECTIVE OF OUR YOUTH SEX CRIMES UNIT!!! How does that make the citizens of Elyria feel? Our city let us down again. How many molested and raped children put their trust in this worthless man to investigate they're case? This is absolutely a question of character. How can you investigate youth sex crimes when you get off by messing around with a 17yr old girl. I don't believe the bull**** claim that he didn't know how old she was. Come on now....don't allow yourselves to be so ignorant. He's got a computer in his cruiser that convenietly allows him to run anybody he wants. He of all people had the info. right at his fingertips! WAKE UP ELYRIA, ESPECIALLY THE CITY EMPLOYEES!
THERE ARE AT LEAST 340 SEX OFFENDERS OF SOME NATURE LIVING IN ELYRIA. GO TO: http://www.familywatchdog.us/
How many of these cases were investigated by this detective? How many sex offenders didn't even make it to court to be charged because this guy didn't do his job?
How many of our youth are walking around in our city living with something horrible that was done to them by a sex offender and they received no justice? How would you feel if this was your child and your voice could not be heard?
THERE'S NO ROOM FOR THESE KIND OF MISTAKES!!!
I tend to think that there's a lot more to this story that hasn't been reported yet. Some questions such as:
1. Why didn't the girl report this when it occurred instead of waiting 2 months?
2. Was she flirting with the officer or not?
3. Possibly an affair gone bad?
Sure, the officer should be held to a higher standard than a regular person and this was obviously extreme poor judgment on his part, but it seems like we don't know the whole story. Was there any bruising or any indication that he forced himself on her? Too late to tell now. He's been roasted in the court of public opinion and I just wonder if this story would have even made news if he hadn't been an officer. Probably not. He'll be paying for this mistake for years without a doubt. I'd just like to hear more of her side of the story.
Interesting! Look up Vankerhove on elyriamunicourt.org and you will see the following:
COURT FINDS THAT THERE IS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND THAT THE DEFENDANT COMMITTED IT.
Now, go to http://www.loraincounty.com/clerk/
and you will see the following:
CASE PRESENTED TO THE GRAND JURY AND NO INDICTMENT FOUND
Now, if this guy is related to Officer Vankerhove then this city has a real problem on their hands and the citizens should be asking why both of these guys got off!
Speaking of elyriamunicourt.org.......where the h*ll is Eric Vankerhoves' charges? They're not on here. Why? Everybody else gets their charges posted immediately, before you're even found guilty! I'm tired of this city and their games.
Please correct me if I am wrong because I dont know if what I am Saying is not the facts it is just what I've been told but didnt officer Sanchez w/ LPD do the same thing??follow a lady and kiss her? He was charged with a few charges that had firearms specifications because he did it with a firearm on his side. I bet vankerhove had his sidearm on him. Why was there no charges with firearm specifications on them? Doesn't seem fair?? And also My speeding ticket showed up on Elyriamunicourt.org that SAME DAY! why is his charges not listed on there? Something fishy going on if you ask me.
TO KARL:
1. Why didn't the girl report this when it occurred instead of waiting 2 months?
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF SHE WANTED HIM BAD OR NOT, SHE'S 17! HE IS A YOUTH SEX CRIMES DETECTIVE. HE HAS HER AGE AT HIS FINGERTIPS. NO NO NO EXCUSE. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF THIS WAS YOUR DAUGHTER? THE LAW STATES YOU ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS UNTIL YOU'RE 18. HOW ABOUT WE MAKE A POLICE OFFICER (OF ALL PEOPLE) PAY FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW THAT HE IS SWORN TO UPHOLD!
2. Was she flirting with the officer or not?
SO, IF SHE WAS FLIRTING WITH HIM THIS MAKES HIM NOT RESPONSIBLE? WOW, I'M GLAD YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!
3. Possibly an affair gone bad?
AGAIN, SHE IS 17! SHE IS 17! HE IS A YOUTH SEX CRIMES DETECTIVE! PROCESS THIS IN YOUR HEAD!
I think it's time for an outside agency to come in and do a complete audit of the entire administration of the city of Elyria including the police dept.
Give it a rest. Like you posters are perfect. He is on both sites if you learn to type correctly. Give it a rest.
to Anonymous at 4:52. "Give it a Rest?"
Are you serious? Someone that I TRUST with my children and someone I TRUST to protect me, my loved ones and my property is out and about following someone MY DAUGHTERS age into a bathroom at a local grocery store?! You are NUTS! Regardless of how I feel, How would YOU feel IF YOU had a CHILD that was followed into a womans bathroom and kissed in a sexual manner by a police officer and all he got was about a $100.00 fine?! And before all the posters jump on me for saying he kissed the girl in a sexual manner all I have to say is how else did he kiss her? I am going to bet he didnt kiss her the same way I kiss my mother (boy that still sounds wierd). This is hardly enough of a punishment This guy sounds like a real piece of sh!t!
Wow... how does he manage to get a court date for september 17, and then have it moved up like that.
I wonder if it had anything to do with not wanting the media to cover it???
It's called an arraignment. The same right you have in court. Had he have pled not guilty he'd have been in court at a later date. In plenty of time for the media coverage vultures like you desire.
I see a different "Vankerhove" in the Elyria online court system. This guy had gross sexual imposition and passing bad checks charges.
The bad checks was dismissed and he was fined only $27 for gross sexual imposition charge.
Why can't parking tickets cost $27?
To anon 3:30 p.m.
Believe me when I say that in no way, shape or form am I trying to stand up for this guy or his actions. I think he is guilty as he!! and deserved a much harsher penalty than a reduced fine and a "don't get caught again" (wink, wink) from the judge.
If this were my daughter, this person would be testing both the medical coverage and long-term disability plans of the department. I believe that any civil servant should be held to a higher degree of accountability and the penalties in this case make a total joke of the justice system (this is almost as good as a certain double-dipping county judge who told a defendant that he didn't have time to hear what that person had to say since his wife was in the hospital - this judge is another joke).
Also, I did not say that if she was flirting it makes him innocent. Please don't read anything into my comments that wasn't there. I just wonder if this was a first time impulse or what had been leading up to it.
The whole point of my post was that I believe there's a lot more to this story that was not reported. I don't think this was a first time meeting between these two people, and no, that most definitely does not excuse his actions.
As far as I'm concerned, both the officer and judge are a stain on our county and should be gone. And gee golly, I typed all this without caps lock!!
His court date was August 26th? 4 days and counting and no charges posted on elyriamunicourt.org. What a joke.
He is an adult police officer, she is a child. He is troubled and should be ordered into counseling and removed from our police force. He will learn nothing from this and other's daughters will be at risk. He carries a weapon. Would you want any female members of your family left alone with him?
Try looking him up under the right spelling of his last name...Vankerkhove....then you'll find everything you want to know.
Look up his case, why is his address EPD. If anyone else had been charged with this crime their address would be on there. But ohhh, noooo he's not getting any special treatment. Nooooo, our lovely city does everything by the book! This is bullshit! By the time TMCNEWS adds more news on their front page this story will be long gone and everyone will forget about it. That's the pathetic part. We allow this to happen in our city because no one truly cares about this shit town anymore.
"Look up his case, why is his address EPD."
That would be because Police Officer's addresses are not public record by the laws of the State of Ohio...not by the courts or the police department. Check your facts before you start spouting off about bullshit things you know nothing about.
We need more to the story. Sad story for the people involved but I think there is more to it than meets the eye. Doesn't make it right...just makes it incomplete.
I love how everyone is arguing that this guy should have his address in the system. Yeah, OK...HE IS/WAS A POLICE OFFICER. State does that to protect them AND THEIR FAMILY from the people they arrest or cite.
For the love of God, out of 43 posts so far...4 people have included a name with their comment/opinion. The rest hide behind 'anonymous'. You can't even step up with a name on a website but you expect cops addresses to be made available to Joe Shmoe they incarcerated a month ago? Gimme a break. While you're at it, go back to LorainCounty.com.
They cannot go back to loraincounty.com because due to their postings the Elyria portion of the site was shut down. Surprising? No.
This may not be illegal or a sex crime, however being a public servant and in the public eye this was an inexcusable act. When you are hired into that type of position you are looked at by the public constantly and you SHOULD be someone that the public can look up to and look to for integrity and honesty. I think that his employment with the City of Elyria should be terminated and other departments be made aware of this before he is considered for employment.
Maybe if all of you people that live in Elyria would grow up and HELP the city. Maybe loraincounty.com would not have to shut down. And yes I do not live in the City BUT I do work there and pay THERE taxes to support all you people.. And about the EPD officer I do think he did get off easy. But, I know 17 y/o girls where I live dress like sluts and ask people for things like to get them in trouble.. So you might what to think about that... WHERE is the parnets? HOW do they raise there kids? I know if I see my sons or daughters acting like that I would not be happy..
TO ERIC:
I love how everyone is arguing that this guy should have his address in the system. Yeah, OK...HE IS/WAS A POLICE OFFICER. State does that to protect them AND THEIR FAMILY from the people they arrest or cite.
WHETHER HE IS/WAS A POLICE OFFICER HE HAS NOW CROSSED THE OTHER SIDE AS A CRIMINAL. OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE THIS POSTED THE MINUTE THEY COMMIT ANOTHER CRIME BESIDES A MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATION!
For the love of God, out of 43 posts so far...4 people have included a name with their comment/opinion. The rest hide behind 'anonymous'. You can't even step up with a name on a website but you expect cops addresses to be made available to Joe Shmoe they incarcerated a month ago?
#1-I'M NOT A CRIMINAL, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO POST MY NAME! VICTIMS NAMES AND ADDRESSES GET POSTED EVERY MINUTE! BUT, THEIR NAMES DON'T GET BLOCKED FROM ANYTHING! DON'T YOU THINK THEIR OFFENDERS WILL COME AFTER THEM WHEN THEY GET OUT? (BTW, THEY DO, I'M A VICTIM AND THE CITY DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT THESE OFFENDERS WHEN THEY GET OUT OF JAIL.)
ALSO, WE POST AS ANONYMOUS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE WILL BE HARRASSED IF WE MAKE OUR NAME KNOWN AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE CITY OF ELYRIA AND EPD CULT-LIKE JUSTICE SYSTEM! WHAT? YOU THINK MOST OF THESE WORTHLESS EPD OFFICERS DON'T ABUSE THEIR JOB TO THE FULLEST EXTENT? YEAH, RIGHT!
Let's be honest. We do not post our names because of other reasons. Not because of the EPD cult, police harassment, or whatever you wish to call it. We do not post names because of people we have contact with everyday...friends, coworkers, other posters, ect, & do not want any good natured confrontations with them. We want to be able to just state our opinion & leave it at that.
For those claiming harassment by the police you probably can be found on a court website somewhere. No disrespect intended. But most people who complain about the police are usually doing something they should not be doing, probably repeatedly & getting caught.
As far as the officer goes the county & city prosecutor took a look at the case & decided the charges. It's done.
Look around you everyday at children having children. Teenagers, both female & male, are having relations with adults. Right, wrong, moral, immoral...it is happening. Are you speaking out against it when it happens....maybe, maybe not.
Let's move on.
Nice. Harassed by the cult-like department for putting your first name on a website? Hell, they might even track your IP address and have the FBI torture you on a federal level for being a terrorist because you don't like the local police department...
Paranoid aren't we?
OPPS! EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE. I FORGOT TO TURN MY CAPS LOCK ON! HOPE YOU CAN STILL READ WHAT I WROTE.
TO ERIC: FIRST OF ALL, I TYPED IN CAPS BECAUSE MY SOFTWARE AT WORK HAS TO BE IN CAPS SO IT'S JUST A HABIT. BUT, NOW THAT I KNOW YOU'RE SO BOTHERED BY IT I WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT JUST TO MAKE YOUR IMMATURE @SS HAPPY! TO ANONYMOUS: WHY ARE YOU COMMENTING ON POSTING ANONYMOUS WHEN YOU'RE ANONYMOUS. I DON'T HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD. THAT'S A PRETTY STUPID ACCUSATION TO MAKE! ALSO, IN ORDER TO POST A NAME YOU HAVE TO BE LOGGED IN-WHICH DOES REQUIRE YOUR PERSONNAL INFORMATION. ARE YOU THAT IGNORANT? NOBODY CAN SPEAK OUT AGAINST ANYTHING THESE DAYS. LOOK AT THE PROTESTERS AT THE RNC. ENOUGH SAID!
ALSO TO ANONYMOUS: APPARENTLY YOU THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS WORLD HAS MORAL ISSUES YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE ACCEPTED? IF CHILDREN ARE HAVING CHILDREN AND CHILDREN ARE HAVING RELATIIONS WITH ADULTS THAT MAKES IT OK. NO......ADULTS ARE HAVING RELATIONS WITH CHILDREN. WTF! YOU SERIOUSLY JUST SAID CHILDREN ARE HAVING THE RELATIONS WITH ADULTS. SO, THE ADULTS AREN'T RESPONSIBLE,HUH? WOW, I HOPE YOUR NOT A PARENT AND IF YOU ARE I WILL PRAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN! YOU'RE JUST THE KIND OF CITIZEN WHO I TRUST IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD!
Not going to answer point by point. You need to take a class in understanding the written language. You either cannot comprehend it or just chose to turn words to fit your meaning. You misunderstand the poster Eric, myself, and quite probably others.
THAT'S VERY AMMUSING! I WAS IN ADVANCED LITERATURE AND ENGLISH FROM THE TIME I WAS 14. MAYBE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE.
Then why do you continue to draw incorrect assumptions from posts, even after being told you have done so? Take care.
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