Growth in Prison and Jail Populations Slowing: 16 States Report Declines in the Number Of Prisoners

/PRNewswire / -- As of June 30, 2008, state and federal correctional authorities had jurisdiction or legal authority over 1,610,584 prisoners. Additionally, 785,556 inmates were held in custody in local jails, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, announced today.

During the six months ending June 30, 2008, the prison population increased by 0.8 percent, compared to 1.6 percent during the same period in 2007. The local jail population increased by 0.7 percent during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2008, accounting for the slowest growth in 27 years.

Sixteen states reported decreases in their prison populations. California (down 962 prisoners) and Kentucky (down 847) reported the largest decreases since yearend 2007.

While the prison populations in the remaining 34 states increased, growth slowed in 18 of these states. For these 18 states, prison populations increased by 1.6 percent in the first half of 2008 as compared to the increase of 3.1 percent in the first half of 2007. Minnesota experienced the largest growth rate (up 5.2 percent) in the first six months of 2008, followed by Maine (up 4.6 percent) and Rhode Island and South Carolina (both up 4.3 percent).

The federal prison system added 1,524 prisoners in the first six months of 2008, reaching a total of 201,142 prisoners. The 0.8 percent growth represented the smallest increase in the first six months since 1993 (when BJS began collecting data at midyear).

State and federal prisoners in private facilities increased 6.8 percent during the 12-month period, reaching 126,249 at midyear 2008. The federal system (32,712), Texas (19,851), and Florida (9,026) reported the largest number of prisoners in private facilities.

As of June 30, 2008, over 2.3 million inmates, or one in every 131 U.S. residents, were held in custody in state or federal prisons or in local jails, regardless of sentence length or conviction status. Since yearend 2000, the nation's prison and jail custody populations have increased by 373,502 inmates (or 19 percent).

Over one-third of inmates held in custody at midyear 2008 were in local jails. More than half (52 percent) were housed in the 180 largest jail facilities, with average daily populations of 1,000 inmates or more. Overall, an estimated 13.6 million inmates were admitted to local jails during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2008.

Local jails operated at about 95 percent of their rated capacity as of June 30, 2008. During the preceding 12 months, the nation's jail capacity increased by 14,911 beds, while the number of inmates increased by 5,382 persons.

Almost two-thirds (63 percent) of all jail inmates were awaiting court action or had not been convicted of their current charge, up from 56 percent in 2000. Based on jail jurisdictions that reported data, non-U.S. citizens made up 9.0 percent of their total jail population in 2008, up from 7.7 percent in 2007 and 6.1 percent in 2000.

Among inmates held in custody in prisons or jails, black males were incarcerated at 6.6 times the rate of white males. One in 21 black males was incarcerated at midyear 2008, compared to one in 138 white males. At midyear 2008, black males (846,000) outnumbered white males (712,500) and Hispanic males (427,000) among inmates in prisons and jails. About 37 percent of all male inmates at midyear 2008 were black, down 41 percent from midyear 2000.

Female incarceration rates were substantially lower than male incarceration rates at every age. Black females (with an incarceration rate of 349 per 100,000) were more than twice as likely as Hispanic females (147 per 100,000) and over 3.5 times more likely than white females (93 per 100,000) to have been in prison or jail on June 30, 2008. An estimated 207,700 women were held in prison or jails at midyear 2008, up 33 percent since midyear 2000.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Renowned Child Protection Advocates Ed Smart and Erin Runnion Invite Parents to Child Protection Forum

WHAT: Ed Smart, father of abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart and a nationally-recognized child protection advocate, along with Erin Runnion, surviving parent of abducted and murdered child Samantha Runnion, will conduct a free open forum for parents Wednesday, April 1 at the Gwinnett Convention Center.

Sponsored by Keep Georgia Safe, a non-profit organization that provides safety and crime prevention training and operates the only wireless network that sends all three Georgia emergency alerts for missing or dangerous persons, Smart and Runnion will be in Atlanta debuting It Takes a Community, a revolutionary children’s safety partnership comprised of national leading children’s safety initiatives unified to protect our children and families, to the east coast for the first time. Steve Daley, founder and executive director of radKIDS©, Inc., and a leading national children’s safety expert, will lead in the instruction. The April 1 open forum is for anyone interested in learning more about safety education and violence prevention for children from three of the nation’s leading experts, free of charge.

The cornerstones of the It Takes a Community initiative include the radKIDS© Personal
Empowerment Safety Education Program, The PRIDE Neighborhood Child Protection Program and The National Child ID Kit. radKIDS©, a revolutionary hands-on educational program that provides techniques and skills for children on how to recognize, avoid, resist and escape dangerous situations, abduction and harm, is recognized as the national leader in safety education and violence prevention for children.

Ed Smart, father of abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart, is the national spokesperson for radKIDS©. Ed has been instrumental in bringing world-wide attention to the power of this hands-on educational model for children on national news and television programs such as the Oprah Winfrey Show. Erin Runnion, surviving parent of abducted and murdered child Samantha Runnion, is founder and director of The Joyful Child Foundation that trains instructors in its PRIDE program – a neighborhood child protection course for communities.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 1
7 P.M.

WHERE: Gwinnett Convention Center
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097

WHO: Meet Ed Smart, Erin Runnion, Steve Daley, Keep Georgia Safe founder and chairman Gary Martin Hays and executive director Mary Ellen Fulkus.

WHY: Nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year, and in 40 percent of stereotypical kidnapping cases, the child was killed. More than 800,000 children are determined to be victims of child abuse and neglect. That is one child every 35 seconds.

Keep Georgia Safe has a two-pronged approach to crime prevention: 1) Proactive: Safety education and, 2) Reactive: Alert System Network. As the only organization that sends out all three of Georgia's emergency alerts, the Keep Georgia Safe Wireless Network uses a text platform to notify opt-in wireless subscribers at no charge when the GBI issues any of its three emergency alerts: Levi’s Call: Georgia’s AMBER Alert for an abducted or missing child, Mattie’s Call: elderly or disabled missing person alert and Kimberly’s Call: dangerous fugitive alert.

How: For more information, go to www.keepgeorgiasafe.org or call 770-934-8000.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

Amber Alert: 7 mo. old

The State of Georgia issued the Amber Alert on Saturday afternoon (03-28) after the child was reportedly abducted in Grovetown late Friday. The suspect also reportedly abducted the child's mother, 27-year-old Shashawna Odell following an armed robbery. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous. According to Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris, the sheriff's office has issued two felony kidnapping warrants against Mr. Grier.

Christopher Grier is a black male, 7 months old, 1' 6" tall and weighs 20 pounds. He has brown hair and eyes.

The suspect is Christopher Bernard Grier, a 30 year oild Black male, 5' 10", 230 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

The suspect vehicle is a gray Dodge Neon with a paper tag reading "Auto Credit Sales and Rental".

Anyone with information is asked to call the Grovetown Department of Public Safety at 706-863-1222, or the Columbia County Sheriff's Office at 706-541-2800 or dial 911.

More information may be available at http://codeamber.c.topica.com/maamXR6abPaSsbLmA6JbafpLR8/
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

Clifford Harris, a.k.a 'T.I.,' Sentenced to Prison on Federal Firearms Charges

/PRNewswire/ -- Clifford J. Harris Jr., a.k.a. "T.I.," 27, of College Park, Ga., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. on charges of unlawfully possessing machine guns and silencers and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, announced David Nahmias, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

Harris was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also sentenced to serve 365 days of home confinement and 1,500 hours of community service, with credit for approximately 305 days of home confinement and 1,030 hours of community service that he completed before sentencing. In addition, Harris was ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. Harris has agreed to forfeit all of the firearms and ammunition involved in the offenses and to waive appeal.

"We are very pleased with the result in this case," said David E. Nahmias, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. "Mr. Harris has received a significant penalty for the serious firearms offenses he committed, including spending the next year in federal prison, a year in home confinement, and three years on supervised release. His prison sentence was reduced from what it might have been, but the public got something very significant in exchange: the extensive and unique community service program that Mr. Harris committed to doing when he pleaded guilty. By all accounts, his community service has been a remarkable success - it certainly exceeded our expectations - and there is still more to come when he gets out of prison."

Mr. Nahmias continued, "Preventing crime is a critically important law enforcement objective. Many of us spend considerable time trying to reach young people and teach them about the importance of leading law-abiding and productive lives -- but we have real trouble connecting with the kids most at risk. For the past year, Mr. Harris has used his high public visibility, his exceptional communication skills, and his real-world life experience to deliver the right message to literally thousands of kids. He has told them about the mistakes he has made and educated them about the dangers of violence, guns, gangs and drugs. Young people have wanted to hear from 'T.I.,' and we are confident that at least some of those kids will lead better and more law-abiding lives as a result. That is a very positive result for our communities, and it merits a sentence reduction for Mr. Harris, just as we routinely reduce sentences for defendants whose assistance leads to another conviction."

"I hope that young people are paying close attention to this case and realize that no one who commits gun offenses is immune from investigation, prosecution and possible prison time," said Special Agent-in-Charge Gregory Gant of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). "Those who commit such crimes can, and will, face very real consequences for their actions. Every day, ATF agents work aggressively to prevent and address violent crime and the criminal misuse of firearms in our communities. The last place that machine guns and silencers should be is in the hands of a convicted felon."

Harris pleaded guilty to the charges on March 27, 2008. His sentencing was deferred for one year pursuant to his binding plea agreement, for the purpose of allowing him to perform the extensive community service program that he proposed. That program was designed to promote respect for the law and law enforcement, oppose violence, illegal and reckless use of firearms, illegal drugs, and gang activity, and focus on at-risk young people and educating them about the mistakes Harris has made. During the deferral period, HARRIS remained under strict bond conditions, including but not limited to constant supervision by a court-approved monitor; wearing a GPS location monitor; consenting to random, unannounced searches; traveling only for pre-approved work and community service; abiding by a curfew when at home and when traveling; having all visitors identified, listed, and searched; refraining from the use of alcohol and illegal drugs and testing for the same; and maintaining a $3 million cash bond.

At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Harris had fully complied with the conditions of his plea agreement and bond. More information about the community service that Harris has performed is available in the Sentencing Memorandum filed by his counsel, which is available upon request.

According to U.S. Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court, including the Stipulated Statement of Facts underlying the guilty plea: In 1998, Harris was convicted of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute in Cobb County, Ga. Thereafter, as a convicted felon he could not lawfully buy, receive, or possess firearms or ammunition of any kind. During September and October 2007, one of Harris' bodyguards purchased nine firearms for Harris at his request. The bodyguard delivered these firearms to Harris at his residence in College Park. Harris took possession of the firearms and placed some or all of them in a hidden compartment inside a closet in his bedroom.

On Oct. 10, 2007, HARRIS arranged for the same bodyguard to pick up $12,000 in cash from Harris' bank. Harris told the bodyguard to use the cash to buy machine guns for him. Later that day, the bodyguard was arrested by ATF agents after he purchased three machine guns for Harris, and also bought two silencers to deliver to Harris, from an undercover ATF agent. The machine guns and silencers were not registered to the bodyguard or to Harris in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as would be required for a lawful purchase of machine guns or silencers.

After his arrest, the bodyguard agreed to assist the ATF. He advised the ATF agents that the machine guns were being purchased for Harris and disclosed his previous firearms purchases for Harris. This was the first the agents knew of Harris' involvement. The bodyguard made several monitored/recorded telephone calls to Harris, during which the two discussed delivery of the weapons. Harris said he wanted to take possession of the "items" or "product" (meaning the machine guns), and Harris and the bodyguard agreed to meet in the parking lot of a Publix shopping center in midtown Atlanta. The meeting was arranged for the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007. Harris arrived at the shopping center driving a Range Rover sport utility vehicle, with a female and a male passenger inside. The bodyguard got into the back seat of the Range Rover and showed Harris the machine guns and silencers, which the bodyguard had carried to the meeting in a duffel-type bag. Harris asked the bodyguard, "Is there anything special I need to know?" Harris and the bodyguard then discussed the semi-automatic and fully-automatic functioning of the machine guns. Harris inspected the weapons and noted that the silencers were designed for "no flash, no bang." Harris also asked the bodyguard whether ammunition was included for the machine guns and asked what caliber rounds were used in the weapons.

ATF agents then moved in and arrested Harris. During a subsequent search of the Range Rover vehicle, ATF agents found a loaded .40 caliber pistol tucked between the driver's seat, where Harris had been sitting, and the center console. This firearm had been purchased by the bodyguard on Sept. 6, 2007, and Harris knew it was in his vehicle. ATF agents also found a loaded .45 caliber pistol in the back passenger seat and another loaded .45 caliber pistol in a piece of luggage in the rear storage area that also contained Harris' clothing and personal items. The latter pistol had been purchased by the bodyguard for Harris and delivered to his residence on Sept. 26, 2007. Following his arrest, Harris waived his Miranda rights, was interviewed by ATF agents, and admitted that he handled the machine guns in the vehicle.

Later that same day, Oct. 13, 2007, ATF agents, accompanied by Deputy U.S. Marshals, Fulton County, Ga., Police Officers, and Fulton County, Ga., Sheriff's Deputies, executed a federal search warrant at Harris' residence in College Park. During the search, the agents found two rifles and a pistol, with magazines and ammunition, all of which had been purchased for Harris by the bodyguard, inside Harris' bedroom closet. The agents also found two more pistols and one revolver, along with pistol boxes and ammunition, some of which had been purchased for Harris by the bodyguard, inside a compartment behind a false wall within his bedroom closet. The compartment was secured with a biometric lock that required Harris' fingerprint to open and had last been opened by Harris the previous day. The agents also found additional ammunition and firearms boxes in Harris' bedroom.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the ATF. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Todd Alley and Francey Hakes prosecuted the case.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Study Focuses on Barriers to Successful Prisoner Re-Entry Into Atlanta Communities

One out of every 100 Americans is incarcerated. One in 13 adults in Georgia is either in jail or on probation and parole, and the state holds the fifth largest prison population in the nation.

Hundreds of prisoners are released and return to metro-Atlanta neighborhoods every month. For Emory's Office of University-Community Partnerships, which has worked with dozens of community groups, services organizations, policy makers and government leaders for nearly a decade, issues around incarceration are a big piece of the puzzle in developing strategies to build strong communities.

"In many ways, the success or recidivism of former inmates has a tremendous impact on the communities where they settle, but given the stigma attached, it hasn’t exactly been a cause championed by many. But, positive reentry is a necessity, not an option, when it comes to public safety, preserving families and the development and stability of neighborhoods," said assistant professor of political science Michael Leo Owens, coauthor of the study "Prisoner Reentry in Atlanta: Understanding the Challenges of Transition from Prison to Community."

The report was recently completed by OUCP, and its authors hope their findings spark conversation and action among government leaders, service providers and community organizations to address the challenges of facilitating the positive integration of former prisoners back into communities. In addition to Owens, an OUCP senior faculty fellow, the study was compiled by Michael Rich, OUCP executive director and associate professor of political science, Sam Marie Engle, OUCP senior director, and Moshe Haspel, OUCP's director of research and Evaluation.

The immensely detailed and comprehensive reentry report analyzes data showing where people go in metro-Atlanta when they get out of prison, what support services, such as job training, mental health and substance abuse counseling, are there for them, and the availability of affordable housing and jobs. OUCP's study is part of the Urban Institute's national Reentry Mapping Network, which covers a dozen metropolitan areas around the country.

The study tracked nearly 5,000 people released from state prisons into probation and parole in 2004 and 2005 (as provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections and Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles) who took up residence in the five core metro-Atlanta counties: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton. About a fifth settled in the city of Atlanta. While the greatest concentration was in and around Atlanta neighborhoods, prisoner reentry affects the entire metro-area. More than 80 percent of the former prisoners were non-violent offenders.

Focus groups with former prisoners, service providers and faith-based and government organizations filled in the picture of what issues former prisoners and communities face. Surveys also provided insight on public attitudes toward former prisoners.

Outside of access to services, securing jobs and affordable housing posed the biggest challenges to successful reentry for ex-offenders.

Gaining employment was hindered by multiple obstacles: In addition to low levels of education and work experience, and the reluctance of employers to hire someone who has served time in prison, they also lacked the personal networks to help them identify and secure jobs. Those findings echoed the experiences of government and community-based reentry service providers.

However, "housing was identified as the most central issue and need people faced immediately upon their return or move to Atlanta," said Owens. "For those released from prison without obtaining a guaranteed bed at a transitional house or shelter, and possessing only their $25 in 'gate money,' finding a place to stay that was secure, decent and accessible was often impossible."

The study also found differences in the types of programs offered by secular agencies and faith-based groups but overall they were often not in the geographic area where they are needed most.

"One thing we heard again and again from service providers was: 'I wish I knew what everyone else was doing,'" says Engle. "We hope that an outcome of this study will be a stronger network and coordination to provide the services that are needed."

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Governor Perdue Commends Passage of Super Speeder Legislation

Increased fines will slow drivers, fund trauma network

Governor Sonny Perdue today commended the final passage of “Super Speeder” legislation, HB 160, by the General Assembly. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Jim Cole and will help reduce traumatic automobile accidents and provide funds for trauma care in the state. The legislation passed the House 113-53 and passed the Senate 42-10.

“I commend the General Assembly for passing legislation to discourage reckless driving and increase funding for trauma care in Georgia,” said Governor Perdue. “The Super Speeder bill will make our roads safer and save lives.”

In 2007, traffic accidents on Georgia’s roadways caused more than 1,600 fatalities. The overall cost of accidents totals $7.8 billion a year. The Super Speeder legislation will generate approximately $23 million in Fiscal Year 2010, which Governor Perdue recommended be spent to improve the state’s trauma care network. This is the second infusion of state funds by Governor Perdue into the trauma network. In the Amended 08 budget, the Governor recommended $53 million for the state’s first-ever investment into improving trauma care in Georgia. The General Assembly eventually appropriated an additional $5 million for a total of $58 million in the Amended 08 budget.

“I want to thank the Senate for giving their favorable consideration to HB 160,” said Rep. Cole. “This bill sends a strong message that Georgia is serious about slowing people down to make our highways and byways safer for our citizens, visitors and future generations of drivers. I was honored to carry this bill for Governor Perdue and his team.”

Super Speeder legislation discourages trauma-causing behavior by increasing fines for dangerous drivers. The legislation adds an additional $200 fine for driving over 85 mph anywhere in the state and for driving 75 mph or more on a two lane road. Super Speeders will also increase driver’s license reinstatement fees for drivers committing a second and third offense for violations that result in a suspended license and for other negligent behaviors.
Senator Bill Heath, the Governor’s Senior Administration Floor Leader, carried HB 160 in the Senate.

“This legislation will slow down reckless drivers and prevent life-threatening accidents, while providing additional funding for trauma care,” said Sen. Bill Heath. “Simply put, this bill saves lives.”

Bob Dallas, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, praised the bill. “Nearly one fourth of fatal crashes involve excessive speeds,” said Dallas. “Reduced speeds allow more reaction time for drivers and lead to less severe crashes, both of which will make our highways safer.”
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to $60 Million Fraud‏

WENDELL RAY SPELL, 50, of Gainesville, Georgia, pleaded guilty Saturday in federal district court to charges arising out of a scheme to defraud investors out of more than $60 million.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of the case, "This defendant is charged with using a Ponzi scheme to steal millions of dollars from investors who believed they were making wise investment choices. Members of the public are reminded to use caution when investing their hard-earned money, especially when the promised rates of return sound too good to be true."

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: From February 2005 through October 2008, WENDELL RAY SPELL was in the business of buying and selling construction equipment in Gainesville, Georgia. SPELL did business in the names of North Georgia Equipment Sales, LLC and Cornerstone International Investments, LLC. In order to keep his failing businesses afloat, SPELL sought and obtained from investors the necessary funds to purchase additional construction equipment, which he said he could re-sell to third parties for a substantial profit. SPELL promised some of the investors that he would split the profits with them on a 50/50 basis, and he promised other investors that he would pay them interest at the rate of 36% per year.

Based upon such promises, SPELL obtained more than $60 million in investment capital from more than 50 investors in Gainesville, Georgia and elsewhere. SPELL then led the investors to believe that he had used their money to purchase specific pieces of construction equipment, which he knew he had not purchased. SPELL prepared and provided to the investors bogus bills of sale and other counterfeit documents to make it appear that he had purchased certain equipment as promised, thereby lulling the investors into a false sense of security and delaying or preventing their complaint to law enforcement authorities, and leading them to invest additional funds in his fraudulent scheme. SPELL used a substantial portion of the fraud proceeds to pay phantom “profits” to the investors, to pay his own personal expenses, and to purchase a variety of real and personal property for himself and his family members.

SPELL was charged in a Criminal Information with one count of wire fraud, to which he pleaded guilty. He could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled before United States District Judge William C. O’Kelley.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Region 8 Investigative Office, the GBI High Technology Unit, and the Criminal Investigations Division of the Hall County Sheriff's Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Phillips and Gerald Sachs are prosecuting the case.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page

Kidnappers of Drug Dealer Plead Guilty‏

VICTOR ABILES GOMEZ, 20, OMAR MENDOZA-VILLEGAS, 19, and GERARDO SOLORIO REYES, a/k/a “Gera,” 23, all illegal immigrants from Mexico, pleaded guilty late yesterday to federal hostage-taking and related charges, arizing from the week-long kidnapping and torture of a drug dealer.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of the case, “The methods employed by Mexican drug dealers to collect money are becoming increasingly violent, threatening not only the well-being of those directly involved but also innocent bystanders living in neighborhoods being infiltrated by participants in the drug trade. This case should send a clear signal that drug-related violence will not be tolerated in our community. And the captive drug dealer’s guilty plea also demonstrates that we will not tolerate the drug trafficking that leads to this violence.”

Rodney G. Benson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said of the guilty pleas, “DEA and its law enforcement counterparts are committed to protecting our citizens from the scourge of drug abuse. The swift actions taken by law enforcement personnel that day clearly saved this man's life. These guilty pleas should serve as a reminder that drug trafficking and the associated violence that it spawns will not be tolerated.”

According to U. S. Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: On the afternoon of July 11, 2008, acting on information about a possible hostage taking, federal and local authorities established surveillance of a house located at 755 East Fork Shady Drive, Lilburn, Georgia. Three individuals inside the house apparently saw the police presence and began to flee. DEA Strike Force and FBI SWAT agents, working in conjunction with Gwinnett County authorities, quickly and successfully extricated the victim, later identified as OSCAR REYNOSO, 31, who is originally from the Dominican Republic but more recently from Rhode Island. At the time of his rescue, REYNOSO was bound and gagged and appeared to be severely de-hydrated and badly beaten. Agents found him chained to a mattress in the unfinished basement of the home, which is described as a middle-class neighborhood residence in Gwinnett County. Also found in the basement were flex cuffs and firearms, including an assault rifle. When authorities found REYNOSO inside the basement, he appeared to be hyperventilating. Agents immediately removed his gag and provided him with fluids and medical attention.

Talking to REYNOSO, as well as one of his captors, agents learned that REYNOSO had been lured to Atlanta from Rhode Island, purportedly to complete a vehicle purchase transaction with an individual identified as “Tio.” REYNOSO had met Tio at a nearby fast food restaurant, from where the two then rode to the 755 East Shady Fork Drive residence. Upon entering the garage, REYNOSO was ambushed and assaulted by eight men carrying firearms. After being beaten, he was imprisoned in the basement where the agents ultimately found him. While holding REYNOSO, his captors, including Tio, contacted REYNOSO’s friends and relatives in Rhode Island in an effort to collect the drug debt of $300,000. REYNOSO was constantly threatened and beaten during the ordeal.

REYNOSO pleaded guilty on March 10, 2009, to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

The kidnappers appeared in federal court late yesterday, where they pleaded guilty to federal hostage-taking, drug trafficking, and firearm charges before United States District Court Judge Jack T. Camp. They face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Sentencings for the kidnappers will be held on July 7, 2009, at 10 a.m. before Judge Camp.

The DEA says the investigation of this incident is continuing, and is still looking for REYNOSO’s other captors. Anyone with information is asked to call the DEA—Atlanta Field Division at 404-893-7100.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the DEA-Atlanta, with assistance from the FBI’s SWAT Team, the Gwinnett County Police Department, and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Hulsey and Cassandra Schansman are prosecuting the case.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Georgia Jail Officer Arrested on Civil Rights, Obstruction of Justice Charges

CURTIS JEROME BROWN, JR., 41, of Lithonia, Georgia, a former Fulton County Sheriff’s Detention Officer who worked at the Fulton County Jail, was arrested March 20, 2009, by FBI agents and charged with the felony offenses of violating civil rights, filing a false report, making false statements to federal agents, and two counts of obstruction of justice. BROWN is expected to make his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Gerrilyn Brill March 20.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said: “All citizens—including citizens held as inmates in our jails—have a constitutional right not to be subjected to excessive force by law enforcement officers. The great majority of detention officers do their difficult and dangerous work with courage and professionalism. But officers who instead decide to physically abuse inmates will face federal investigation and prosecution. And anyone who tries to interfere with our investigations through false reports, false statements, witness tampering, and other obstruction of justice will also face prosecution, even if they were not involved in the underlying abuse.

U.S. Attorney Nahmias continued, “For those at the Fulton County Jail who believed that such serious crimes would be overlooked, or punished only by reassignment or termination, today’s action should serve as a wake-up call. Those who engage in such crimes should expect to be arrested, as this former officer was today, and ultimately to face their own time as an inmate. Our investigation into the two incidents described in the criminal complaint, as well as other incidents at the Fulton County Jail, is active and ongoing. Anyone who has information about such crimes is encouraged to contact the FBI at 404-679-9000, and any officer involved in such incidents will be much better off calling the FBI now than waiting for the FBI to show up at their door.”

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Greg Jones said, “Law enforcement officers who tarnish the badge deserve the swiftest and harshest treatment the justice system will allow. Every proud and honorable member of our profession is outraged by what we’ve witnessed in this case, and with good cause. Our badges represent a sacred promise to protect and serve, not a shield behind which rogue officers may hide and abuse their authority. Those who have placed themselves above the law and who violate the civil rights of others should consider themselves warned: You may very well find yourself on the other side of the jailhouse door, and sooner than you think.”

Fulton County Sheriff Ted Jackson, who joined the United States Attorney in a brief news conference this afternoon, said of the case, “The violation of the civil rights of housed inmates is not tolerated by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. Any failure to comply with the Civil Rights Act will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law in coordination with federal authorities. The behavior described in the federal criminal complaint is not representative of the hard work and dedication of the employees of this jail.”

According to U.S. Attorney Nahmias, the charges and information presented in court: On August 11, 2007, BROWN, who was then a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail, allegedly violated the civil rights of an inmate at the jail by using excessive force against the inmate, causing bodily injury. After learning that the inmate had made derogatory remarks to another officer, BROWN allegedly took the inmate to another area of the jail with that officer and told a trustee to leave the area. BROWN then put on black leather gloves and hit the inmate—whose hands BROWN had cuffed behind the inmate’s back—in the face and head with his gloved fists until the inmate was bleeding, ignoring repeated requests by the other officer to stop the beating. The first officer and two other officers reported the incident to the Assistant Watch Commander.

BROWN then allegedly obstructed the investigation of the incident by, among other things, trying to convince the first officer and another officer to write their reports on the incident together with him, which the other officers believed was an effort to prevent them from telling the truth. BROWN then allegedly filed a false report regarding the incident, falsely claiming that the inmate had aggressively moved toward him and threatened to harm him and that he reacted by “giving an open hand smack” to the inmate’s face. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Department Office of Professional Standards (OPS) began investigating the assault on or about August 21, 2007, but the Sheriff’s Department took no action against BROWN for more than a year.

Meanwhile, according to the criminal complaint, on the night of March 18-19, 2008, another jail inmate was causing a commotion in his cell when BROWN and two other staff members allegedly entered the cell and engaged in a physical altercation with the inmate. According to eyewitness accounts, the inmate was on the floor when BROWN and the other staff members left the cell. After they left, the inmate was discovered unresponsive and not breathing on the cell floor and was transported to Grady Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The FBI began an investigation of the inmate’s suspicious in-custody death. On August 13, 2008, BROWN allegedly made false statements during an FBI interview, concealing that he had entered the cell prior to the discovery of the inmate unresponsive and not breathing and claiming that he took photos of the scene that were deleted from the jail’s digital camera and computer, when forensic review shows that no such photos were deleted. During testimony before a federal grand jury on August 28, 2008, BROWN again allegedly concealed his role in the physical altercation in the cell. BROWN was charged with making false statements to the FBI and obstruction of justice in relation to this incident.

BROWN was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on October 22, 2008.

The federal investigation of both incidents and other incidents at the Fulton County Jail is continuing. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Department is cooperating in the investigation.

Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Brent Alan Gray and Angela M. Jordan are prosecuting the case.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

The City of Newnan Fire Department Attends Bomb Threat Creditability Training at GEMA

The city of Newnan Fire department sent fifteen members of their team to Bomb Threat Training at GEMA.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) presented "Managing School Bomb Threats," a free class for education and law enforcement professionals. Topics covered planning for a bomb threat, how to identify a credible threat, search techniques, and adjudication of a bomb threat suspect. The seminar included with an explosives demonstration.

With the right tools and training, authorities can properly evaluate the threat and determine the best course of action, says Newnan Fire Chief Whitley.

GEMA School Safety Unit provides services that help schools have a safe and secure school year. GEMA’s school safety coordinators offer training and technical assistance to educators, emergency management and public safety personnel. This includes site surveys, classes on weapons screening, school bus safety, gangs bullying, exercise design, bomb threat management and school crises. For more information on GEMAS’s School Safety Unit visit www.gema.ga.gov or call 1-800-TRY-GEMA. For more information on specific risks within the city limits and how to prepare for them, contact Newnan Fire Department at 770-253-1851.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

GEMA Holds Bomb Threat Credibility Assessment Training

Bomb threats are a vexing problem for school officials. Mindful of the fact that an act of terrorism or other violence is a very real possibility, authorities take these threats very seriously. Fortunately, they usually turn out to be hoaxes, but not before creating a huge headache for school officials, whose normal course of business is disrupted, and first responders, who bring in expensive resources to investigate the threat.

With the right tools and training, authorities can properly evaluate the threat and determine the best course of action. Therefore, on March 11, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) presented, "Managing School Bomb Threats," a free class for education and law enforcement professionals at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. Topics covered planning for a bomb threat, how to identify a credible threat, search techniques, and adjudication of a bomb threat suspect. The seminar concluded with an explosives demonstration provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s bomb squad.

GEMA’s School Safety Unit provides services that help schools have a safe and secure school year. GEMA’s school safety coordinators offer training and technical assistance to educators, emergency management and public safety personnel. This includes site surveys, classes on weapons screening, school bus safety, gangs, bullying, exercise design and bomb threat management. They also respond to school crises.

For more information on school safety or GEMA’s School Safety Unit, call GEMA toll-free in Georgia at 1-800-TRY-GEMA or visit www.gema.ga.gov. For more information on specific risks in your area and how to prepare for them, contact your local emergency management agency.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Obama Considers Deploying National Guard to U.S.-Mexico Border

As President Barack Obama considers deploying National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to control escalating violence, Arizona's governor has requested about 250 more National Guard troops on its border with Mexico, and the Texas governor is considering a similar action.

"We're going to examine whether, and if, National Guard deployments would make sense and in what circumstances they would make sense as part of this overall review of our border situation," Obama told reporters yesterday, according to media reports. The White House does not release transcripts of media roundtable sessions.

"I haven't drawn any conclusions yet," reporters said Obama told them. "I don't have a particular tipping point in mind."

While emphasizing that he does not want to "militarize" the border, Obama called it "unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing our citizens."

The president noted that Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Mexico last week to meet with his Mexican counterparts about the situation and to discuss additional support the United States could provide.

Meanwhile, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates requesting 250 more National Guard soldiers to be posted along the 350-mile Arizona-Mexico border.

Although Brewer has the authority to call up the troops, she asked Gates to mobilize them as part of the federally funded Joint Counter Narco-terrorism Task Force. That force currently includes about 150 Army and Air National Guard members.

"Arizona communities and citizens are negatively affected by the impacts of the illegal drug trade and related border violence, and enforcement agencies in all jurisdictions are stretched as they attempt to address the enormity of the problems," Brewer said. "The support these additional soldiers can provide to law enforcement agency operations would prove invaluable."

In neighboring Texas, Gov. Rick Perry has expressed the need for more troops or border agents along its border with Mexico. Perry reiterated at a ceremony last week the need for more help to disrupt operations of the Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate, Barrio Azteca, MS-13 and other violent transnational gangs.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today it's too soon to know if additional military support will be granted.

The last major federal National Guard mission along the U.S.-Mexico border was Operation Jump Start. The two-year mission, from June 2006 to July 2008, dispatched as many as 6,000 National Guard members to Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas to make the border more secure for legal immigration and commerce until the U.S. Border Patrol could boost its own ranks.

Guard members did not serve in a direct law-enforcement role, but provided vital reinforcement to the Border Patrol. Their missions included engineering, aviation, entry identification teams, and a wide range of technical, logistical and administrative support.

By the time the mission ended in July, more than 30,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen from across the nation had participated.

Whitman emphasized that the proposed border mission, if ultimately approved, would have a very different purpose and timeline than Operation Jump Start.

In the meantime, the United States is exploring other ways it can help Mexico deal with escalating violence, he said. "We continue to offer Mexico assistance in any number of ways," he told reporters.

The Merida Initiative, for example, provides Mexico and several other countries funding to counter drug trafficking, and the U.S. military has a strong military-to-military partnership with Mexico. The United States also is providing Mexico foreign military financing for five helicopters, a maritime surveillance aircraft and handheld scanners used for detection purposes, Whitman said.

"The U.S. government as a whole is concerned about the escalating violence and its effect on public security as well as the Southwest U.S. border," he said. "I think that what you are seeing is a recognition of the problem that is facing the Mexican government, and as good neighbors, the United States is looking at any number of ways in which we might be able to render some additional assistance."

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

LifeLock® and FBI-LEEDA to Educate Georgia Law Enforcement to Combat Identity Theft

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Located in the heart of the Southeast, Atlanta is well known for its civil war battlefields, sports & entertainment events, and a myriad of other tourist attractions. While the Peach State is the ninth largest state in the U.S., it is a prime target for identity thieves. In 2008, more than 38,000 Georgia residents filed identity theft or fraud complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, placing the state 7th in the nation for identity theft.

A March 19 Identity Theft Summit, hosted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) and LifeLock®, aims to arm local and regional law enforcement officials with information about rising trends in identity theft. The summit is part of a series being offered under a unique partnership between FBI-LEEDA and LifeLock.

“This program is part of extensive efforts we have made in educating law enforcement through our partnership with FBI-LEEDA,” said LifeLock CEO Todd Davis. “Identity theft is a crime that has no boundaries, and by forging relationships with those in law enforcement, we all become better equipped to fight these criminals. LifeLock has a history of partnering with those who share the vision of empowering consumers to protect themselves, and our partnership with FBI-LEEDA brings us even closer to our ultimate goal — eliminating identity theft."

Participants in the program will learn about identity theft and its economic, personal and employment impacts, as well as hear stories from others who have been affected by this crime or have worked to combat it. Law enforcement officials will also have opportunities to network with other agencies to improve inter-agency communication, which can aid in tracking down identity thieves.

“Participants will really be surprised by the number of stories about identity theft,” says Wayne Ivey, a 27-year veteran of law enforcement and the keynote speaker of the Identity Theft Summit. “The key to stopping identity theft is education and awareness. The connections officers will make with other agencies by participating in the summit will be the most valuable thing they come away with, which in turn, will help greatly in their investigations.”

The Atlanta summit is the sixth in an ongoing series spanning the nation. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Atlanta Marriot Alpharetta, 5750 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta, Ga. To register, contact Paige Pedersen at paige@lifelock.com. The summit is open to chiefs, sheriffs, investigative supervisors, fraud unit investigators, patrol officers and community policing personnel.

“The positive response from our summits has been overwhelming, and we are excited to bring this important training to our law enforcement community,” said Tom Stone, Executive Director of FBI-LEEDA. “By joining together and opening avenues of communication through information and education, we gain the ability to share effective policing strategies and connect identity theft cases from several cities and states to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice. It’s refreshing to have a private organization like LifeLock recognize the need for this training and to support it across the nation.”

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Georgia Power Asks Residents To Be Alert for Fraud Artists

/PRNewswire/ -- Several metro Atlanta residents have recently been victimized by a female imposter who claims to be a Georgia Power employee.

The individual contacts Georgia Power customers by phone, informing victims that their electric bill is past due and that an urgent credit card payment is needed to avoid loss of service within 24 hours.

If the scam artist receives credit card numbers from the Georgia Power customer, she then wires money from their credit card account to different locations or uses the number to make fraudulent purchases.

At least five to six area residents have been victimized since early March. The method of this scam is very similar to a scheme used in 2006 and may involve the same individuals.

Georgia Power employees will never call a customer at home seeking personal information. When a customer is past due on a bill, a recorded message is sent to the customer's home phone encouraging them to contact Georgia Power to discuss the status of their account.

Field-service representatives will never ask a customer for money when they visit a residence. All Georgia Power company representatives carry badges with picture identification, their name and the company's name and logo. To view official company uniforms go to www.georgiapower.com.

Georgia Power's Corporate Security department is working with local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to identify the perpetrators. If anyone has been victimized by this scheme, or has any information about suspects, they are asked to contact Georgia Power's Corporate Security department at 404-506-4116.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Mullen Praises Military Cooperation Between Mexico, U.S.

The combined capabilities and military cooperation between Mexico and the United States can defeat the drug cartels that plague both countries, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in Mexico City yesterday.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen held discussions with Mexican leaders and then spoke to students at the Mexican Naval War College during a visit that capped a five-day trip to Latin America.

"We are capable countries," Mullen said at the war college. "This is not a threat we can't beat. We can, working together, defeat it."

The chairman praised Mexican leaders for their firm stand against the drug cartels and all the destruction they bring to civil society. "From my perspective, we have shared responsibilities for the cause and shared responsibilities for the solutions," he said. "How we work those shared responsibilities are very important."

Mullen met with Mexican Secretary of National Defense Gen. Guillermo Galvan and Secretary of the Navy Adm. Mariano Francisco Saynez. Both men lasered in on the drug cartels and the inherent danger for both countries. "It is an enormously serious problem that has grave implications," he told the students.

The chairman noted the similarities between terrorist groups and drug cartels. Both are amorphous networks, and good intelligence is crucial to breaking both, he explained.

"There are characteristics of it that we have developed the capabilities to fight in our military in the last several years that have direct application, and I think can assist greatly," he said. "Through cooperative efforts, we have to figure what's the best way to do that."

During an interview aboard the plane on the way back to Washington, Mullen praised the stand that Mexican President Felipe Calderon has taken against the cartels. The commitment of the Mexican military to the fight is significant, he said, and came about in response to the level of corruption that exists in government, including in the police.

"The best I can tell, the leadership in Mexico is aware of the problem and is addressing it," Mullen said.

Intelligence sharing and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities are two areas where the United States military can help Mexican forces, Mullen said. And the opportunity is there. The military-to-military relationship with Mexico is in the best shape he has ever seen, he added.

"There is a significant opportunity to continue to cooperate and to focus very heavily with respect to the needs on the border and the kinds of capabilities that they need from an intelligence and equipping piece," he said.

The U.S. and Mexican militaries have had fairly extensive military-to-military training for some time, especially between the Mexican navy and the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. "There has been training evolving with respect to their army," Mullen said. "General Galvan is very enthusiastic about continuing and increasing that training."

Mullen stressed that while the military has a role to play, there a number of other U.S. agencies are working with Mexico, including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Agency. "There are fairly far-reaching areas of cooperation, and these are very much ongoing," Mullen said during the interview.

Funding the fight correctly is important, the chairman said. The United States continues to help Colombia battle narcoterrorists. He noted that funding for aid to Colombia was consistent over a number of years. "The level of assistance that was predictable over a period of time," the chairman said, "allowed the capabilities to be developed there."

Mullen discussed the Merida Initiative with Mexican leaders. The unprecedented initiative calls for close cooperation between the United States and Mexico to combat drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering and other transnational crimes.

The program calls for the United States to provide $1.4 billion for equipment and training over the next three years. Congress approved the first funds in December. "We're working very hard to ... move those resources to Mexico as quickly as we can," Mullen said.

At the Naval War College, Mullen said it is important to set expectations for the Merida Initiative.

"It's a lot of money," he acknowledged. "That said, my own system can be pretty bureaucratic, and it can take longer than we want to deliver. Where I see us on Merida right now is we are getting started – getting the pump primed – for a significant increase in assistance."

Aboard the plane, Mullen said he was impressed with the level of commitment he saw for the fight on the drug cartels.

"What struck me about the questions [at the war college] was they were all focused on this crisis," he said. "That says to me that the entire Mexican military is focused on this crisis."

And the questions were not confrontational, he noted. They were more on the line of how and where the two militaries can work together.

The visit to Mexico culminated a high-profile trip to Latin America, in which he also visited Brazil, Chile, Peru and Colombia. The main purpose of the visits was to connect with military leaders and to understand mutual challenges.

"I have been and will be a proponent of focusing on Latin America – the relationships, the strengths and the challenges," Mullen said. "None of us can do it alone. The challenges continue to grow, and they must be addressed collectively."

The United States is fighting two wars in the greater Middle East. "I've had notionally 80 percent of my forces focused on the Central Command region – the two wars," he said at the War College. "There's another 20 percent available to focus on other parts of the world. We work very hard to focus on Latin America and the relationships. We've had significant successes in support of and in cooperation with many countries."

Mullen told the students he is pleased with the improvement in U.S.-Latin American relations. He praised the leaders of the region, and Mexico in particular, for the way they have opened doors to military cooperation.

"I think because of the leadership in Mexico has opened the doors and the strong desire to connect, I'm encouraged by the change in engagement and the exchanges between our militaries," he said.

"You are not just a neighbor, but a great friend," Mullen said at the War College. "We share a rich heritage, and that heritage will become richer for our children and grandchildren. It is for leaders to act now so that the heritage continues to be robust and provide for the safety and security of our young ones."

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

Fake Military Twist on Vehicle Sale Scams

The FBI continues to receive reports of individuals victimized while attempting to purchase
vehicles via the Internet. Victims find attractively priced vehicles advertised at different Internet classified ad sites. Most of the scams include some type of third-party vehicle protection program to ensure a safe transaction.

After receiving convincing e-mails from the phony vehicle protection program, the victims are directed to send either the full payment, or a percentage of the payment, to the third-party agent via a wire payment service. No vehicles are delivered to the victims.

In a new twist, scammers are posing as members of the United States military. The fictitious military personnel in the scam have either been sent to a foreign country to improve military relations, or they need to sell a vehicle quickly and cheaply because of their upcoming deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Consumers are advised to do as much due diligence as possible before engaging in transactions to purchase vehicles advertised online. Consumers are also cautioned to be aware of the rules of or warnings posted by the Internet sites they visit. If someone is asking a consumer to break or avoid the rules of the Web site, it is possible that person is trying to scam you.

If you have fallen victim to this type of scam, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

South Georgia Residents Sentenced in $5 Million Dollar Diesel Fuel Tax Credit Scheme

Maxwell Wood, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that the final four defendants involved in an eleven person scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service were sentenced February 26, 2009 before the Honorable W. Louis Sands in U.S. District Court in Albany, Georgia. Clinton Hughes, Pamela Hughes, Robin Bennett and Rodger Bennett were all sentenced for their participation in a fraud scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claims for refund based on fictitious diesel fuel tax credits.

Sole proprietors and businesses who purchase diesel fuel on which federal excise taxes have already been paid (known as “undyed fuel”), and then use that fuel in off-highway business equipment, qualify for a tax credit (or reimbursement) for the excise taxes paid. The claims for refund in this investigation were fraudulent because the defendants did not purchase, nor did they use, the undyed fuel in their off-highway business equipment. The scheme was lead by Clinton “Basil” Hughes and Patricia Hughes, who prepared the tax returns which contained the false claims to the Internal Revenue Service beginning in 1998 through 2003. Hughes allowed the co-conspirators, all of whom claimed to be associated with the logging industry, to supply Hughes with false fuel invoices and driving logs to document the fuel that was either never purchased or was never used in the reported businesses. Defendants Rodger and Robin Bennett, owners of B Tree Service & Stump Removal, participated in the scheme by claiming fuel tax credits for fictitious businesses called B Logging and B&B Forestry & Chipping. The total amount of fraudulent claims in the scheme was approximately $5,190,000.00. The Internal Revenue Service issued $4,779,073.00 in refunds to the co-conspirators before the scheme was uncovered.

After entering a plea of guilty to conspiracy to file false claims with the government Clinton Hughes was sentenced to 48 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service of $3,969,831.73

After entering a plea of guilty to conspiracy to file false claims with the government Pamela Hughes was sentenced to 33 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,969,831.73

After entering a plea of guilty to conspiracy to file false claims with the government, and filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service for the years 2001, 2002, and 2003 Rodger Bennett was sentenced to 12 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service of $219,459.87.

After entering a plea of guilty to conspiracy to file false claims with the government, and filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service for the years 2001, 2002, and 2003 Robin Bennett was sentenced to 12 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service of $219,459.87.

According to Reginael D. McDaniel, Special Agent In Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office, “The object of this scheme was to defraud the government and the taxpaying public. The message this case sends is that participation in refund fraud schemes does not pay and those who do participate will be prosecuted.”

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

One in 31 U.S. Adults are Behind Bars, on Parole or Probation

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Explosive growth in the number of people on probation or parole has propelled the population of the American corrections system to more than 7.3 million, or 1 in every 31 U.S. adults, according to a report released today by the Pew Center on the States. The vast majority of these offenders live in the community, yet new data in the report finds that nearly 90 percent of state corrections dollars are spent on prisons. One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections examines the scale and cost of prison, jail, probation and parole in each of the 50 states, and provides a blueprint for states to cut both crime and spending by reallocating prison expenses to fund stronger supervision of the large number of offenders in the community.

"Most states are facing serious budget deficits," said Susan Urahn, managing director of The Pew Center on the States. "Every single one of them should be making smart investments in community corrections that will help them cut costs and improve outcomes."

In the past two decades, state general fund spending on corrections increased by more than 300 percent, outpacing other essential government services from education, to transportation and public assistance. Only Medicaid spending has grown faster. Today, corrections imposes a national taxpayer burden of $68 billion a year. Despite this increased spending, recidivism rates have remained largely unchanged.

Research shows that strong community supervision programs for lower-risk, non-violent offenders not only cost significantly less than incarceration but, when appropriately resourced and managed, can cut recidivism by as much as 30 percent. Diverting these offenders to community supervision programs also frees up prison beds needed to house violent offenders, and can offer budget makers additional resources for other pressing public priorities.

One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections provides a detailed look at who is in the corrections system and which states have the highest populations of offenders behind bars and in the community. Key findings include:

-- One in 31 adults in America is in prison or jail, or on probation or
parole. Twenty-five years ago, the rate was 1 in 77.
-- Overall, two-thirds of offenders are in the community, not behind
bars. 1 in 45 adults is on probation or parole and 1 in 100 is in
prison or jail. The proportion of offenders behind bars versus in the
community has changed very little over the past 25 years, despite the
addition of 1.1 million prison beds.
-- Correctional control rates are highly concentrated by race and
geography: 1 in 11 black adults (9.2 percent) versus 1 in 27 Hispanic
adults (3.7 percent) and 1 in 45 white adults (2.2 percent); 1 in 18
men (5.5 percent) versus 1 in 89 women (1.1 percent). The rates can
be extremely high in certain neighborhoods. In one block-group of
Detroit's East Side, for example, 1 in 7 adult men (14.3 percent) is
under correctional control.
-- Georgia, where 1 in 13 adults is behind bars or under community
supervision, leads the top five states that also include Idaho, Texas,
Massachusetts, Ohio and the District of Columbia.


The report also analyzes the cost of current sentencing and corrections policies. The National Association of State Budget Officers estimates that states spent a record $51.7 billion on corrections in FY 2008, or 1 in every 15 general fund dollars. Adding local, federal and other funding brings the national correctional spending total to $68 billion.

While total correctional spending figures have been available before, new data collected by the Pew Center on the States for the report provides the first breakdown of correctional spending by prisons, probation and parole in the past seven years:

-- In FY 2008, the 34 states for which data are available spent $18.65
billion on prisons (88 percent of corrections spending), but only
$2.53 billion on probation and parole (12 percent).
-- For eight states where 25 years of data were available, spending on
prisons grew by $4.74 billion from FY 1983 to FY 2008, while probation
and parole spending increased by only $652 million. This means that
while prisons accounted for one-third of the population growth, they
consumed 88 percent of the new corrections expenditures.
-- The 34 states that were able to provide data reported spending as much
as 22 times more per day to manage prison inmates than to supervise
offenders in the community. The reported average inmate cost was $79
per day, or nearly $29,000 per year. The average cost of managing an
offender in the community ranged from $3.42 per day for probationers
to $7.47 per day for parolees, or about $1,250 to $2,750 a year.


"Violent and career criminals need to be locked up, and for a long time. But our research shows that prisons are housing too many people who can be managed safely and held accountable in the community at far lower cost," said Adam Gelb, director of the Pew Center on the States' Public Safety Performance Project, which produced the report. "New community supervision strategies and technologies need to be strengthened and expanded, not scaled back. Cutting them may appear to save a few dollars, but it doesn't. It will fuel the cycle of more crime, more victims, more arrests, more prosecutions, and still more imprisonment."

One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections provides states with a blueprint and specific case studies for strengthening their community corrections systems, saving money and reducing crime. Research-based recommendations include:

-- Sort offenders by risk to public safety to determine appropriate
levels of supervision;
-- Base intervention programs on sound research about what works to
reduce recidivism;
-- Harness advances in supervision technology such as electronic
monitoring and rapid-result alcohol and drug tests;
-- Impose swift and certain sanctions for offenders who break the rules
of their release but who do not commit new crimes; and
-- Create incentives for offenders and supervision agencies to succeed,
and monitor their performance.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page