The feds have charged a Lynn woman (oh, Lynn, city of sin) and a doctor in the Dominican Republic with operating a service to mutilate or even surgically remove people's fingerprints.

The US Attorney's office in Boston says their target market was illegal aliens, not drug dealers, specifically, but presumably the technique is the same. According to prosecutors, Luz Martinez-Lebron, 41, would arrange with local illegals who wanted their fingertips gone to have the procedure done by Jose Elias Zaiter-Pou, 61, a surgeon with a clinic in Santo Domingo who would fly up here to perform the procedure, for a fee of $4,500.

Also charged: Ricky Dario Baez-Cruz, Martinez-Lebron's ex, now back in the Dominican, whom the feds say wasn't just a ring member, he was a customer. The three face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 if convicted. The formal charge is conspiracy to conceal and shield illegal aliens from detection.

Innocent, etc.

Ed. note: Or you could save the money and just chew your own skin off.

Boston Police report an arrest in connection with a scheme in which Bostonians would be called and ordered to pay ransom for kidnapped relatives - who turned out not to be kidnapped:

In all of the incidents, victims are contacted via phone and told that a relative has been kidnapped; money is then demanded for the safe release of the alleged kidnapping victim. The specific details of these incidents vary; however, almost all of the victims have been Hispanic.

Victims were ordered to use Wester Union to wire money to the "kidnapper," police say.

Mary R. Lozada, 34, of Lynn is charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, larceny over $250 and extortion by false report of a crime. She is charged in connection with two specific incidents involving calls to residents of Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill last month, but police say their investigation continues.

Innocent, etc.

Sean Ryan of Jamaica Plain, who ran for an at-large city council seat last year, said today he is running for the District 6 seat being vacated by John tobin.

Ryan, a Boston public-school teacher, said he will make education the focus of his campaign. At an at-large candidate debate last year, he called for an end to school busing, an increase in the number of charter schools and a 10% pay cut for all city workers.

Also last year, Ryan blamed the Federal Reserve for 9/11.

Meanwhile, David Bernstein introduces us to two more potential candidates from the JP side of the district: Jessica Taubner, policy director for at-large city councilor Ayanna Pressley, and Valerie Frias, who has worked for everybody from Jarrett Barrios to Patrick Leahy.

The BRA reports that developers have filed their detailed project notification form for the proposed conversion of the Boston Renaissance Charter School into roughly 128 rental units.

The school is selling the 13-story building at Arlington and Stuart streets to finance the conversion of an old factory on Hyde Park Avenue in Hyde Park into a new school - expected to open this fall.

Developers say the new residential building will have no parking for residents, but that they have negotiated to make 200 spaces at the 200 Stuart St. garage made available to residents. They add they will work with the city to encourage residents to take advantage of the nearby Back Bay and Arlington subway stops or to get around by walking and bicycling.