Chaos Inside Dismas Pre-Release Halfway House Program For Prisoners

Are Problems Within Dismas Charities In St. Albans WV Isolated -Or Part Of A Corporate Level Meltdown? by Jack Swint

“It’s our responsibility to keep them (prisoners) from running around and we do a very good job of that. We have strict rules and regulations and we are vigilant about monitoring them… These are the lowest security level prisoners, some who wrote bad checks to some who sold crack cocaine.” Jan Kempf, Dismas Charities Inc 2001

Background

Dismas Charities is a non-profit organization headquartered in Louisville Ky. The original concept for their prisoner halfway house programs began back in 1964 by Father William Diersen, a Catholic priest, who at the time was chaplain at the Kentucky reformatory. According to the Dismas website, Father Diersen was frustrated by the seemingly revolving door of people returned to prison for violating conditions of their release.

The name Dismas was decided on because he was the repenting thief hung on the cross beside Jesus. Who, until that day, lived in the desert, robbed and or murdered anyone unlucky enough to cross his path. Today, Dismas Charities Inc. has emerged into one of the largest state and federal corrections industry pre-release programs, with 27 facilities and 9 support offices in 12 states. Their claim is to allow prisoners the opportunity to reintegrate back into society, find suitable employment and strengthen family ties.

But, what else is occurring inside these pre-release prisoner facilities and within corporate headquarters that they don’t want the public or the Bureau of Prisons to know about? Illegal Drugs, Sex, Escape and Mismanagement top a reported list that one staff source inside the Dismas facility located in St Albans WV claims is occurring. Reports in other Dismas locations across the country name the same type problems, but, also include murder, bribery, abuse and more. And, there are the problems within Dismas Charities Headquarters in Louisville KY.

Dismas Federal Halfway House St. Albans WV

In 2008, Dismas purchased property at 113 Edgar Street, located in an area notoriously nicknamed the “badlands,” US Route 60, in St. Albans WV. They built this new facility amongst strip bars, churches and family neighborhoods after being denied to buy the former Tyler Mountain School back in 2001 because of resident’s complaints of bringing federal prisoners, potential crime and drugs into their neighborhood. Were those residents’ fears and concerns at the time legitimate?

At any given time, there are approximately eight female and thirty five males residing in this Dismas facility. Another 15 or so offenders live on home confinement and monitored by staff. According to one inmate’s pre-sentence investigation report, the estimated fees paid by the bureau of prisons to Dismas is $1,800 a month for each person under their direct supervision.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) 2010 contract shows the St. Albans facility receives $954,139.20 a year through November 2014. Residents, who are physically able, are required to work in the community to save money for their release. They are also required to pay 25% of their gross wages to Dismas each payday to help defray costs. Staff assist in job placement opportunities through numerous contacts in the area with local businesses.

Those who work and participate in programs are allowed to leave the center daily. They are also afforded 12, 24 and 48 hour community and or home passes by themselves or with family and friends. Residents are allowed out of the facility during any scheduled work hours. (24 hr period) And, until 9pm for doctor’s visits, church, shopping, or recreation. Upon approval and a valid driver’s license and insurances, they can also have a vehicle to drive.

Back in 2001, Dismas Corporate also made assurances to Tyler Mountain residents that no convicted violent and or sex offenders would be housed in their WV programs. In the past 6 months, resident criminal records include federal drug crimes, white color, child sex offenses, racketeering, murder and bank robbery.

In-House Drug Problems from Marijuana To Cocaine And K-2 To Bath Salts

The majority of men and women who pass through Dismas St Albans (all pre-release programs) abide by the rules and benefit greatly from a re-entry program back into society. But, some don't! Inmate’s use of pills, marijuana and cocaine has been an ongoing problem at the center since opening. Each person is reportedly drug tested at least once a week. But, approximately 3 to 5 residents fail these tests each month and most are returned back to jail and or prison.

Over the past 6 months the halfway house has become engulfed in both the illegal contraband synthetic drug “K-2” and “Bath Salts.” These drugs have been used nightly in the bathrooms where residents light up joints of marijuana or K-2 and blow the smoke into the ceiling vent fans to help keep staff from smelling it. Staff became aware of this ongoing problem early on, but, unable to conduct urine screenings for the K-2 substance until April 2011.

Within 3 weeks, eight of ten inmates tested positive for K-2 and were sent back to federal lockup. Four of them were in the prison drug abuse and treatment program (RDAP) and had received a year off their sentence for successfully completing that course. According to policy, the year off will automatically be reinstated, along with any new charges and or loss of time off for good behavior if returned to jail from the halfway-house. (Dismas programs do include contracted drug, alcohol and psychological services.)

At least one female was reportedly returned to jail for admitting using “Bath Salts” over a 3 day period. She requested medical attention from staff after becoming mentally distraught from the side effects. In June 2011, five people were returned to jail for drug use and one male resident was said to have been arrested at his job by US Marshall's for actually selling drugs after only being out of prison for 2 weeks.

According to our inside employee source, alcohol has always been snuck into the facility, mostly on weekends when only two officers work per shift. Inmates are drinking in the evening after the 10 pm curfew in the dorm sleeping areas and bathrooms where camera’s can not monitor.

Reportedly, staff members are doing their best in trying to eliminate the problems. “Its not that the staff isn’t trying to stop the contraband from coming in. Each time a resident returns to the center from a pass or work, they are searched. A breathalyzer and metal detector are also used to deter contraband from entering the facility.” Two to three people a month fail breathalyzer tests upon reentering the facility after being out in the community. Staff also conduct random searches of resident’s lockers and perform pat-downs.

Sources say that, the lack of adequate staffing, poor morale and miss-management is the contributing factor to not being able to stop the influx of contraband and its use. Lack of staff also reflects prisoners not being held totally accountable for their whereabouts while out in the public. Employees do make daily phone calls and periodic unannounced visits at resident’s workplaces and or homes to verify that they are were they are supposed to be.

“We know that some people here are not going where they claim they will be. It’s a cat and mouse game, and they know if we catch them out of bounds, they face going back to prison or in-house restrictions.” Residents have to fill out staff pre-approved agendas each time they leave the facility that includes where, when and a phone number.

One veteran staff member explained that Dismas Corporate has an unusual philosophy on how they justify sending so many residents back to prison on violations. “The more people we send back to prison, makes us look like we are doing our job.” In reality, one would think that the least number of people who were sent back to prison would show that the Dismas halfway house program is working?

Child Sex Offenders At St. Albans Dismas

Even though Dismas Execs claimed to have a policy that excludes child sex offenders in their program, there have been at least 18 since January 2010. Our source for this story provided the names of four child sex offenders either currently at Dismas or recently released. John K. Mitchell, (Preston County) James W. George, (Berkley County) Richard Andrew Bonyak, (Evans City PA) and David Cremeans. (Cabell County)

Cremeans (AKA Kicker), is a Former Pagan motorcycle member and child sex abuser who currently resides at Dismas St Albans and works at a local restaurant in Charleston. He was part of the huge federal indictment back in 2009 that netted 55 motorcycle gang members. Charged with numerous federal charges ranging from attempted murder, drugs, firearms and involvement in an ongoing criminal enterprise, (RICO) he was allowed to plead guilty to just racketeering. Cremeans received 24 months in prison and will serve 3 years supervised release. His projected release date from Dismas is July 2011.

The sexual molestation conviction dates back to 1998 where he pled guilty in State Court (Cabell County) to sexual abuse of a minor by a parent or guardian. He received a 1 to 5 year prison sentence, but, that was suspended to 5 years probation and a court order prohibiting him from living anywhere where there are children.

According to Terry Swaggert and Emily Roberts with the WV State Police Sex Offender Registry, sex offenders living in either federal or state community release centers, who are court ordered to register, must do so while there because they are “out walking in the community.” To date, only two of these four men named above have appeared on the sex registry. Cremeans was recently added after our inquiry to the WVSP registry. Sex offenders are also allowed out of the center to work and for community passes etc. We also spoke to an officer at the WV State Corrections work release center in Charleston who said that there are no violent or sex offenders currently at that center, and he was not aware of any who will be.

Rape Accusations To Consensual Sex Between Staff And Residents

In June and July of 2010, mainstream media across the US was quick to jump when 30 year old David L. Bennett, who was residing at the halfway house in St. Albans, was arrested for allegedly raping Dismas female counselor Kathleen I. Angell. According to her affidavit, Angell claimed he grouped and fondled her, forcibly raped and then performed oral sex on her. He was immediately arrested, jailed and charged with several felony counts from sexual abuse to rape.

But, shortly after his arrest her story began to lose credibility. Prosecutors dismissed the charges within 60 days according to Kanawha County Circuit Court records, case # 10-CRM-454, which shows all charges dismissed in September 2010. Assistant county prosecutor Daniel Holstein motioned the court to do so because of “insufficient evidence.” Authorities had obtained DNA samples of both Angell and Bennett, but, it’s not known what the results were.

According to our staff source, Bennett was believed to have been having an ongoing relationship with Angell, “Something didn’t seem right from the beginning when she reported the rape. The proximity of her office to other staff and residents was only a few feet away. Someone would have heard her resisting him and struggling.” One piece of exonerating evidence may have been the reported text messages that were discovered between Angell and Bennett. Media never reported that all charges had been dropped against Bennett, or why. This is not the only alleged staff / inmate relationship that has occurred at this Dismas location.

Former staff supervisor Scott Hively, (married at the time) reportedly became involved with a female resident (Kim) and ended up having to resign in early 2011 after evidence surfaced of their ongoing affair. Senior staff allege that he also was accused of harassment and submitting false reports against residents to boost his work performance record. Hively was also accused of bringing in alcohol to the females and had attempted to plant drug paraphernalia (K-2) on at least one resident at the center to cause their return back to jail and enhance his work performance record.

Recent Increase In Escapes

In 2001, Dismas executive Jan Kempf bragged in a town hall meeting that in 2000, a total of only 5 people had escaped from all of their facilities across the country. Over the past forty-five days, 6 people have walked away from Dismas St. Albans WV. Whenever someone escapes, staff notify local authorities, US Marshall's, US Bureau of Prisons and the US Probation Department.

Three Facility Directors In The Past Year

As of May 1, 2011 a new facility director inherited all of the ongoing problems at the federal facility. Former 17 year Charleston Police Captain, James A. Sands, is the 3rd one in the past 10 months. Former director, Pernel McCoy, resigned as director after only 6 months and the one before him, Wendy Easton, was terminated and escorted out of the complex sometime in August 2010.

Director James Sands actually has a 2007 Kanawha County conviction for “obtaining money under false pretenses” stemming from his admitted moonlighting for extra money while on duty as a police officer. He had been suspended and placed on leave from police duties during an investigation and later resigned.

Problems On The Corporate Level Include Lavish Parties And Reckless Spending.

Lavish parties and luxury suites at sports venues are just some of the issues revealed in the most recent corporate financial audit alleging misuses of state money and violating their not for profit tax status. (Audit is linked below) Dismas Headquarters in Louisville Kentucky was openly criticized by state officials last year for spending more than $155,000 for suites at the KFC Yum Center and at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Also, $15,000 to $20,000 annually on a hospitality train car for University of Louisville basketball games. Dismas have also been the financial support behind the Bellarmine University’s basketball team and hosting various social events. Golf outings for the executive staff, expensive Kentucky Derby Gala’s, extravagant dinners and parties for the Board and Executive staff were routine.

The state auditor also questioned the enormous salary paid to top executives. In 2009, Dismas Inc paid its president a salary of $602,000 and its executive vice president $469,955, which ranks above the 90th percentile nationally for transitional care organizations.

In 2009, Dismas received “Signature Sponsorships” on behalf of the law firm Stites & Harbison and software provider KiZAN technologies rewarded them with payments of $247,413 and $400,931, respectively. Keep in mind, Dismas Inc. is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, which is administered by the Internal Revenue Service.

Dismas Facility Scandals On The National Level Include Bribery, Sex Abuse, Lying And Murder

These are but a few examples of the growing problems just within Dismas Charities.

March 2011, a 61-year-old licensed chemical dependency counselor was indicted and arrested for allegedly billing the government for counseling services he never provided to inmates at Dismas Charities in Midland TX. He is being charged with six counts of making false claims to the United States.

March 2011, former Dismas Charities Manager, Richard Lynch pled guilty to using the company credit card for his own personal use.

On May 23, 2011 Richard Thyberg, one of the Marshals Service New Mexico’s Most Wanted Gang Offenders was arrested carrying a loaded 9mm pistol. Thyberg had been living at the Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center in Las Cruces as part of his sentence with the Bureau of Prisons for Felon in Possession of a Firearm charges.

Thyberg escaped from Dismas after he walked away on March 18, 2011 and will now be charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm for the loaded handgun and escape from custody for walking away from Dismas. Thyberg’s extensive criminal history, gang affiliation and continued propensity for violence is why he was placed on the Marshals Services New Mexico’s Most Wanted List.

The Louisville KY Dismas work release program has had its share of embarrassing problems. One scandal stood out in the media involved a contract between Dismas and the Metro Animal Shelter between 2009-2010. According to Jason Gunnoe, with MAS, there were numerous occasions of…

“Dismas workers fornicating with employees and volunteers, using drugs and accused of misappropriation of city property.” Reports state that this was on such a large scale that the animals in the shelter were being neglected. Gunnoe went as far as to describe one instance involving an impromptu love shack constructed out of donated boxes of cat food, a makeshift red heat lamp and a radio. “He had arranged the boxes in a walled-off area with a couch and a heat lamp…I couldn’t believe it.” Dismas tried to say they had no knowledge of the ongoing problems until a June 2, 2009 e-mail proved they did.

In Atlanta Georgia, former Dismas Charities employee Terrence Clay received a sentence of one year and one day in prison and a $1,000 fine for soliciting and taking bribes. At least twice in 2007, Clay solicited and received $1,000 from a prisoner in exchange for certain favors.

Mose Lewis, a Dismas Lubbock Texas halfway house staffer admitted he lied to federal investigators about his sexual activities with residents. He was originally indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Ward, Abusive Sexual Contact, and False Statement. Lewis decided to take a plea bargain and told how he engaged in certain sexual activities with at least one of the residents of the Dismas.

In June 2008, federal inmate Randy Bowman was living at the Louisville KY Dismas Charities Halfway House and killed a fellow female resident. He stabbed her with an ice pick and then ran. Bowman, 54, had been in and out of prison since he was 18. He has been convicted of rape, arson and most recently was in prison for not reporting the death of the woman he lived with in Texas.

In 2009, Rafael Vega was a resident at a Texas Dismas halfway house when he and another man were convicted of abducting a known drug dealer and transported him to a Juarez Mexico drug cartel. According to reports, they first chopped off his hands then brutally murdered him. Prosecutors said the kidnapping was in retaliation for a marijuana load linked to the Sinaloa drug cartel that was seized at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint at Sierra Blanca.

In Closing…

State and Federal halfway house programs serve a very important role to prisoners being released who need stability and resources to get adjusted back into society and to help ensure their success. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) contracts with halfway private companies like Dismas to provide assistance to inmates who are nearing release. They are to provide a safe, structured, supervised environment, as well as employment counseling, job placement, financial management assistance, and other programs and services. Halfway House programs help inmates gradually rebuild their ties to the community and facilitate supervising ex-offenders' activities during this readjustment phase.

According to now Georgia Supreme Court Justice and former US Attorney, David Nahmias… “Corruption by those who administer our prisons and other correctional institutions undermines the safety of everyone in those institutions, and further undermines the critical role they play in deterring and rehabilitating criminals.”

The business of operating state or federal community re-entry programs for prisoners has fast become one of the most profiting businesses in the country. The recent audit (linked below) and news reports on Dismas Charities outline the mega -millions of dollars each year Dismas earns in the community corrections industry. In fact, in 2009, Dismas Charities reported a total of $38,924,654 in revenues from their combined federal and state contracts, donations, public contributions, grants and membership fee’s. Out of that, $27,376.067 came from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and $2,539,050 came from prisoner’s subsistence payments.

Dismas's Mission Statement claims that they… “Provide quality, cost-effective, community–based supervision, treatment services, and programs to individuals within the criminal justice system and assist them in becoming positive, productive members of their community.” In reality, their programs sound great on paper and in sales pitches to the public. Just in 2009, Dismas official Bob Yates told citizens in Martinsburg WV, that if allowed to open a pre-release facility in their neighborhood, that location would only house "low-risk offenders." Which is the same mistruth given to Tyler Mountain residents in 2001.
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Bottom line...It appears on the surface that, Dismas Executives and Board members may be to busy enjoying life on the taxpayer’s dollars, instead of operating community based corrections facilities. It also appears some local level employees and residents are enjoying themselves too.

End Of Story…

Jack Swint - Publisher
West Virginia News
E-Mail: WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
Website: http://WVNewsOnline.com 
Blog: http://WestVirginiaNews.blogspot.com
Twitter:  @WVNewsOnline  
LinkedIn: Jack Swint

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Links

Dismas Charities Website

Bureau Of Prisons List Of Halfway House Locations

BOP Community Programs

Dismas Audit By Kentucky State Auditor

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To Purchase Books Written By Jack Swint   (click on link)

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Feds Project Safe Childhood Showing Positive Results Nationwide And Locally

Their Goal Is Getting Child Sex Offenders Off The Streets by Jack Swint
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"Crimes that involve the sexual exploitation of children are sickening and will continue to be aggressively pursued by this office. It is shocking that there are individuals who would subject children under their care to unspeakable acts, thus stealing those children's innocence and scarring them for life…” US Attorney Booth Goodwin, SDWV
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What Is Project Safe Childhood?

According to the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) website, Project Safe Childhood is a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation. Initiated in May, 2006, PSC combines law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness. The goal is to reduce the incidence of sexual abuse of children. On May 17, 2011 Deputy Attorney General James Cole stated … “Across all components of the Department, fighting child exploitation is one of the Department’s highest priorities. In the last decade, the FBI, U.S.

Attorneys, and the Criminal Division have investigated and prosecuted more offenders than ever before. The U.S. Marshals have recovered thousands of fugitive sex offenders under their mandate in the Adam Walsh Act." One of the chief mandates of PSC is to expand efforts to coordinate and cooperate with federal, tribal, state, local, and international organizations and agencies in the fight to prevent and interdict in the sexual exploitation of children. Working closely with each other, to pool intelligence and resources to ensure that offenders who seek to entice and compromise children are brought to justice.

National Statistics

Since FY 2006, the Department of Justice has filed 8,464 Project Safe Childhood (PSC) cases against 8,637 defendants. These cases include prosecutions of online enticement of children to engage in sexual activity, interstate transportation of children to engage in sexual activity, production, distribution and possession of child pornography, and other offenses. Since 1994, child pornography and the transportation of children for the purpose of sexual exploitation crimes has drastically increased by 100%.

There were 169 cases of child pornography back in 1994 compared to 2,539 in 2006. Sex transportation cases grew in the same time period from 37 to 521 while the number of actual sex abuse cases stayed about the same. (600) Data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission shows that federal judges are also committed to ensure the safety of children from child exploitation. Between 2002 and 2008, records show a 65 percent increase in sentence enhancements by the courts for offenders whose crime demonstrated abuse that is more sadistic, masochistic, or produced violent images.

One study found that 21 percent of child pornography offenders had images and material that depicted violence such as bondage, rape or torture, adding that most of these images involved children who were gagged, bound, blindfolded, or otherwise enduring sadistic sex. Sentences ranging from 20 to 30 years and even life in prison have become common in the federal court systems, and rightfully so.

In September of 2008, 37 year old Matthew Cook Casey of Matewan, WV, was sentenced to life in prison by United States District Judge David A. Faber for kidnapping and raping a five year-old girl. On December 14, 2006, CASEY kidnapped a 5-year-old girl from her residence in Williamson (Mingo County) West Virginia. After kidnapping the child victim, Casey brutally raped the child in his car. Casey had, earlier the same day, kidnapped and raped a 55-year-old woman in South Williamson, Kentucky. At his sentencing, Casey addressed the Court stating "I wish you could give me the death penalty." In imposing the maximum sentence, Judge Faber stated that Casey’s conduct was "outrageous" and in sentencing him to life, he intended to "incapacitate him for the longest time possible."

In January 2011, U.S. District Judge Marcia M. Howard sentenced Ian Sean Gordon (age 29, of Tallahassee) to life in federal prison for child sex trafficking. The child performed commercial sex acts at his command at least 50 times. On some occasions, Gordon would transport the child to the locations where she would engage in commercial sex acts. At other times, offenders would come to hotels where Gordon and the child were staying to engage in commercial sex acts. Also in January 2011, Dwain D. Williams, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands (Valdosta Georgia) to life in prison for child sex abuse offenses. One victim testified that Williams had raped her beginning at the age of nine years old until she was thirteen.

West Virginia Sex Crime Task Force(s) And Statistics

The West Virginia State Police spearheads the state’s efforts in the apprehension of child predators. The WV Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) is comprised of investigators from 56 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. According to statistics we obtained from US Attorneys offices in WV, investigations produced 52 federal cases between May 2008 and June 2010. Of those, 48 were prosecuted under the Project Safe Childhood. An additional 56 cases were submitted for review.

There were 294 forensic exams conducted to identify files that contain child sexual abuse images. This includes examination of video, text, or picture files; examination of chat logs, e-mails, or other communication programs; and / or examination of file storage and structure.) The task force also received 76 cybertips. The average sentence handed down by federal judges in WV for these sex crimes was 10 years, with higher end ranges that included 20, 30 and 40 year sentences. One offender was sentenced to life in prison. Below is a list of some of the worst of the worst women and men arrested, convicted and sentenced under the “Project Safe Childhood”

NOTE: There are currently 3, 207 registered state and federal sex offenders living in WV. This also includes the 21 out of state “sexual predators” living in this state.

Apprehension Of Sex Offenders Who Fail To Register Or Comply

The United States Marshals Service has a long history of recovering fugitives. In 2006, the Adam Walsh Act tasked them with primary responsibility for locating and apprehending sex offenders who fail to register as required on state sex offender registries as well as initiating federal investigations into sex offender registration violations and related offenses in noncompliance of the Act.

Since July 2006, the USMS has apprehended approximately 40,000 (nationally) fugitives wanted for sexual assaults, sex offender registration violations and other sex crimes. Additionally, investigators have opened more than 2,200 investigations on convicted sex offenders for violations of the Act and arrested more than 770 individuals who have been federally charged. As part of the overall strategy, the USMS also launched a nationwide operation in 2010 targeting the top 500 most dangerous, non-compliant sex offenders in the nation.

United States Marshal John Foster commented on the goals and statistics in WV… “The Marshals Service in the Southern District of West Virginia has conducted over fourteen (14) sex offender compliance sweeps over the last year with the West Virginia State Police and various county and local law enforcement agencies, to include members of our CUFFED Fugitive Task Force. During these sweeps, the sex offender registration of over 1,100 offenders has been verified, updated, and resulted in numerous arrests for non-compliance to West Virginia and Federal law.”

Project Safe Childhood’s Worst Of The Worst In WV

MATTHEW COOK CASEY, 37, of Matewan, WV, was sentenced to life in prison by United States District Judge David A. Faber for kidnapping and raping a five year-old girl. On December 14, 2006, CASEY kidnapped a 5-year-old girl from her residence in Williamson, Mingo County, West Virginia. After kidnapping the child victim, Casey brutally raped the child in his car. Casey had, earlier the same day, kidnapped and raped a 55-year-old woman in South Williamson, Kentucky.
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JOSHUA MICHAEL RIDINGS was sentenced to forty (40) years imprisonment to be followed by supervised release for the remainder of his life. Ridings entered a plea of guilty on October 15, 2008, to one count of an Indictment charging him with crossing a state line with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a person who had not attained the age of 12 years on February 20, 2007, in Wheeling, West Virginia, when RIDINGS abducted an 11 year old girl in Wheeling and sexually assaulted her in Belmont County, Ohio. His projected release date is December 2042.

BRADLEY BARRETT was sentenced to 405 months imprisonment to be followed by lifetime supervision. Barrett, a tour bus driver, entered a plea of guilty on April 23, 2010, to the transportation of a minor girl from West Virginia to a Virginia hotel as part of a tour of Washington, DC, in June 2008, with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. No release date information was found.

CLYDE H. HALL, JR., 37, of Point Pleasant, WV, was sentenced by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. to 30 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Hall previously pled guilty in May 2008, admitting he produced child pornography. From 2004 through 2006, Hall coerced, persuaded and enticed multiple children to engage in sexually explicit conduct so that Hall could take pictures of the same. HALL took over 20 pictures of the minors using a Polaroid camera. His projected release date in February 2029.
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STACEY NICOLE FARMER, 33, of Squire, McDowell County, West Virginia was sentenced to the maximum statutory term of 20 years in prison by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger for involving a minor under her care in child pornography.   Farmer previously pleaded guilty in June 2010, admitting that from February through May 2009, at her home in McDowell County, she produced images of a minor under her care engaging in sexually explicit conduct. No release date given.

JOHN CHARLES WELLMAN, 68, of Bluefield, WV was sentenced to 25 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for receiving and possessing child pornography, and for receiving child pornography while being required to register as a sex offender. During the investigation, troopers learned that Wellman, a former school photographer, had been previously convicted of the first degree sexual abuse of a six year old boy. His projected release date is February 2029.

JAMIE MICHAEL OVERSTREET, 29, OF Huntington was sentenced to 240 months for his admitted involvement in a nationwide ring of individuals engaged in the sexual abuse of children and the production and trafficking in child pornography. A subsequent forensic analysis of Overstreet's computer revealed hundreds of images and videos of pre-pubescent minors engaged in sexual activity. Many of these images and videos were produced by Overstreet. Child pornographic images were also located on compact discs belonging to Overstreet. His projected release date is February 2026.
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ROBERT DALE EADY, 43, of Branchland, WV was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for distributing child pornography. Eady admitted he produced several images of child pornography using a digital camera. The images were of a twelve year old girl. His projected release date is December 2021.

GARY RAY DEBOLT, 47 of Valley Grove WV was convicted of five counts of Receipt of Child Pornography via the internet in December 2008 and January 2009 in Valley Grove; and two counts of Possession of Child Pornography from October 2008 to January 2009, in Valley Grove.  He was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment. After service of his sentence, DEBOLT will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release and he must register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act for life. His projected release date is July 2020.

DON WINDELL COATES, age 66, of Springfield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment to be followed by 10 years supervised release. COATES entered a plea of guilty on November 9, 2010, to one count of an Indictment charging him with possession of child pornography. On May 22, 2007, a search warrant was executed at COATES’ home, and the West Virginia State Police seized five computer hard drives containing over 200 images of child pornography which had been moved in interstate commerce. His projected release date is November 2019.

JOSEPH DWAYNE VALENTINE, 40, of Gauley Bridge, WV was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possessing child pornography. Valentine, who prior to his arrest worked as a correctional officer for the West Virginia Division of Corrections, pleaded guilty to the charge in May. His projected release date is November 2014.

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Waiting to be sentenced is 46 year old DALE HAMILTON of Wheeling WV, who was re-arrested in May 2011. Hamilton is notorious in the Ohio Valley for his voyeuristic activities. Over the years he has gone into changing rooms and restrooms at local stores and swimming pools to look at little girls and most recently he was found to have downloaded child pornography onto his computer. The twenty year sentence that he faces will take him off the streets and away from our children for a long time.

Agencies Involved In The National Fight Against Child Sexual Exploitation

Federal Agencies assisting in Project Safe Child include; the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Attorneys Offices, Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Office of International Affairs, Office of Justice Programs, and Office of Legal Policy. United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security through Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Secret Service, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, All State, County and City Law Enforcement agencies across the country.

The non-governmental organizations include the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, Child Help, Darkness to Light, Girls Education and Mentoring Services, Inc., Enough is Enough, i-Safe, Kristi House, Inc., Nevada Child Seekers, Paul Lisa Program, Inc., Web Wise Kids, San Diego Police Foundation, Self Reliance Foundation, Washtenaw Area Council for Children, INOBTR, TechMission Youth Program, PROTECT, and many others.

In closing…

No matter what the motivation to produce child pornographic images, offenders turn to children who are most easily available to them. It is no surprise then, that most sexual abuse of children can be attributed to those who have a relationship of trust and authority to the child in addition to ready access. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) data indicates that the vast majority of identified child pornography victims (69% of their data set) were abused/exploited by people familiar to the children.

According to the US Attorney Generals report, self-gratifying sex crimes can be more difficult to investigate than commercial enterprise, whose sole motivation is to profit from the continued dissemination of child pornography images…

“Organized groups of individuals who seek and trade such material for no monetary gain are more dangerous because they are solely motivated by a sexual interest in minors. This sexual interest fuels such groups desire not only to build their own collection of images, but also to obtain new images of recent abuse and, in some instances, to share their own acts of molestation with other group members either through discussion or, worse, through transmission of live video showing the abuse.”

According to US Attorney, Booth Goodwin, SDWV… “Crimes that involve the sexual exploitation of children are sickening and will continue to be aggressively pursued by this office. It is shocking that there are individuals who would subject children under their care to unspeakable acts, thus stealing those children's innocence and scarring them for life.”

End Of Story…


Jack Swint-Publisher
West Virginia News
E-Mail:  WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
Website: http://WVNewsOnline.com
Blog: http://WestVirginiaNews.blogspot.com
Twitter:  @WVNewsOnline
LinkedIn: Jack Swint

Links

Project Safe Childhood
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The 2010 National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction

National Center For Missing And Exploited Children

USDOJ Child Exploitation And Obscenity Section

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Attorney Accused In WV Social Security Scandal Was Barred From Veterans Appeals Court In 2002

Eric C. Conn Resigned From Practicing In The US Court Of Appeals For Veterans Amid Professional Misconduct Investigation In 2002 by Jack Swint
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“Eric C. Conn, a member of the Court's Bar has submitted in the form prescribed by the Court, his resignation from the Bar in lieu of further investigatory proceedings on allegations of professional misconduct in cases before this Court. In submitting this resignation, attorney Conn has also relinquished any right to apply for reinstatement or readmission at any time in the future.” US COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS No. 01-8001 September 30, 2002
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The Kentucky attorney embroiled in the current Social Security Scandal with Huntington West Virginia ALJ Judges David Daugherty, Al Tinsley and Charles Andrus had also been investigated by the feds in May 2002 for alleged professional misconduct while practicing in the US Court of Appeals for Veterans. (USCAVC)

The United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is a federal court of record that was established under Article I of the United States Constitution. The Court has "exclusive jurisdiction to review decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals with the power to affirm, modify, or reverse a decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals or to remand the matter, as appropriate."

In a successful effort to quash that investigation by the commission in 2002, Conn motioned the USCAVC
to allow him to voluntarily relinquish his bar license to practice in that Court. According to our sources, Conn is now considering excluding himself again, this time from practicing Social Security Appeals claims, a direct result of this most recent scandal in the Huntington SSA Office.

The Veterans Appeal Court Judges stated in their 2002 ORDER, that… “Although the Court is concerned by the alleged professional misconduct of the respondent, his agreement to cease all practice before this Court provides the Court and its appellants with protection from any repetition of such conduct by him. Moreover, no appellant has filed a complaint with the Court relating to professional services provided by the respondent. Therefore, the Court will accept the respondent's resignation.”

The document goes on to state that… “This resignation is not to be construed as an admission of the allegations of professional misconduct by attorney Conn and the acceptance of the resignation by the Court does not constitute a finding by the Court as to the allegations pending. Nor does this order constitute an ‘order imposes discipline,’ pursuant to Rule 13 of this Court's Rules of Admission and Practice and, accordingly, the Clerk of the Court is not required to make the notifications described in subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 13.”

Upon consideration of the foregoing, it is ORDERED that “the resignation of Eric C. Conn from the Bar of this Court, conditioned by his relinquishment of any right to apply for reinstatement or readmission, is accepted, and his name is hereby removed from the rolls of practitioners admitted to practice before this Court.” September 30, 2002 PER CURIAM.”

The Court did make reference in its ORDER and opinion that even though this action could stop both public sanctions against Eric Conn and notification to the National Bar Association… “Furthermore, I would note that any member of the public, including of course, any judge or staff member of this Court is free to bring to the attention of the appropriate authorities the existence of this order, and that attorneys may in fact be under a heightened obligation to take such action.”

Conn’s Current Problems

Attorney Conn was named back in December 2010 by this news website as the lawyer allegedly involved in a huge disability case-fixing scandal along with ALJ Judge David Daugherty. Who, has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation questioning his 98% approval ratings on Social Security Appeal cases for clients that Conn represents.

It is alleged that collusion between Daugherty and Conn began back in 2005 when office staff began complaining to higher-ups of the exceptionally high caseload between the judge and lawyer compiled with the 98% approval ratings of SSA claims between the two. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) in Washington DC is investigating.    

Problems in the Huntington WV office also have raised questions on other possible problems including collusion, falsifying of records and retaliation against former ALJ Judge Tinsley for reportedly blowing the whistle on Daugherty and Conn as far back as 2005.

In Closing….

Back in 2002 Eric C. Conn was being investigated for professional misconduct in representing clients appealing their veteran’s claims at the US Appeal level. It is not clear what the allegations against him were, we could not verify the specifics with the clerks office or the bar association for the Court of Appeals (CAVCBAR) since Conn was allowed to voluntarily resign before any action was taken.

A source close to this investigation stated that they had learned that Eric C. Conn was contemplating excluding himself in handling any further SSA Appeal cases in the same manner that he quashed his 2002 investigation into allegations of professional misconduct with the US Court of Appeals For Veterans.

Interesting side note to this story, it appears that the US Federal Appeals Court for Veterans also has a huge back-load of cases like the Social Security Appeals does. (see links below)

End of story….

Jack Swint - Publisher
WV News 2011
(304) 982-7024
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com

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Links

Court of Appeals For Veterans

Eric Conn Court Order

Bar Association Court of Appeals for Veterans

Annual Report USCAVC

Huge Backload Of Cases In Veterans Appeal Court

WV News Related Stories

Is The Social Security Appeals Process Beyond Repair –December 2010

Huntington WV Chief Social Security Appeals Judge Named In Federal Law Suite – May 2011
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Video Of Eric Conn With Former ALJ’s Tinsley And Hunt

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.To Purchase Books Written By Jack Swint    (click on link)

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Want Your Troubled Kid To Disappear In The Middle Of The Night

Part 2 of 3... Teen Transport Industry May Cause Infliction Of Emotional Distress By Jack Swint - Publisher
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“Jonathan screamed, and then he was silent." What did that mean, she wondered? Was he reassured as they said he would be? Or did they do something to him. She couldn't take it any longer and opened the door. Just then she saw them - two large men, one small child - she looked hard and realized her son was in handcuffs. His head turned and their eyes met. She ran to him, sobbing, but Rob pulled her away. She was able to swipe her hand over his face as she yelled she was sorry and that she loved him.”… Mother of teen extracted from home at 3 am by paid teen transport agents.

 The general public is becoming more aware of the facilities for troubled teens that have popped up across the country over the past decades. Residential programs such as therapeutic boarding schools, treatment centers, boot camps and wilderness programs work with these teens while taking them out of their immediate environment where peer pressure and other negative influences might interfere with the therapeutic process. Many of the students who attend these specialized private boarding schools need the focus, individualized attention, and professional intervention offered by these programs.

Over the past few years, the media and US government has been thoroughly investigating the mounting number of complaints and accidents that have caused abuse and even death to the teens who are in these programs. Some facilities we have investigated, appear on the surface to be either following the mandated rules and guidelines, or are adjusting their curriculum to do so. But, there has not been any real focus on how some of these kids physically, and emotionally, arrive to these treatment centers that can be thousands of miles from their home.

Personally delivering your child could be difficult for any parent, especially when they already know the environment and curriculum that their loved one is about to embark on. If you’re not emotionally up to having to take your son or daughter to one of these places, there is an expensive and sometimes dangerous alternative. You can hire a “teen escort service” to come into your home at 3am in the morning, and extract your child, preferably while they are sleeping, out to an awaiting vehicle that transports them to the pre-destined treatment program across the country. And, the old saying... “you can go easy, or you can go hard,” does mean just that.

According to one child psychologist we spoke to, this type of ordeal to a teen can cause everlasting trauma that includes emotional distress and trust issues with the parent(s). For the parent, it crosses moral and legal issues that could include negligence, child abuse, false imprisonment and breach of fiduciary duty.

The Transport Process… Deceiving or a Needed Tool


According to industries standards, here is a scenario of how these transport companies pick up and deliver your child... Keep everything at home as normal as possible, do not tell your adolescent what you are planning. If you have other children in your home, keep their routines as normal as possible and above all, where they are concerned, do not take them into your confidence and let them know what you are planning.

Prior to picking up the teen, completed forms will include everything from personal information, to medical needs and emergency contact information. Signed releases by the parent(s) and payment. Agents will arrive at the residence in the early morning hours (3 a.m)to insure that the youth is at home, and preferably in bed asleep. The parents meet the Agents at the front door with the clothes for the child to wear during the transport, any luggage, our paperwork, fee and contracts for the school, if applicable.

These items will be placed in the car. Parents then take the Agents back to the child's room, wake him/her up, and introduce the Agents and tell them that you love them and that the Agents are there to take them to school. The parents should then go to a part of the house as not to be seen by the child. This allows full attention of the child to the Agents. (And keeps emotions down in case the agents need to restrain the teen) Restraints are within the staffs reach if the child is uncooperative. This consists of at least handcuffs and tear gas/pepper spray. Agents do instruct the child that if they are uncooperative, force can be used.

Agents will get the child dressed and take them directly out to the car. They are usually placed in the back seat with the child locks on and one Agent will sit beside them. At this time they will proceed to the destination as quickly as possible. They will usually call the parents as soon as they have delivered the child to the program. It appears to be policy that the child have no outside contact until they arrive at the program. It is very important to remove them from the surroundings that they are comfortable in as quickly as possible, this makes them more dependent on the Agents and less likely of an attempt to run.

The alternative extraction is in broad daylight. According to Cori, “These guys came to my school and put me in handcuffs...They took me outside to the car and I could see all my friends with their faces against the window, watching these guys take me away. I was crying, saying I was being kidnapped. My mom said, ’No, its OK honey, it’s called goober-napping.” A slang term for kidnapping.

Who Are These Transport Agents
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Agents come from various backgrounds including law enforcement, teachers, health professionals and other youth authority backgrounds, specializing in extreme behavior and substance abuse. They are suppose to be carefully recruited and undergo extensive training in areas of crisis management, verbal and non verbal communication techniques, personal safety and client control. All are required to be insured and bonded.

But, as with any industry, we also discovered that some companies will contract employees in other states that they have never met or trained. In a quick records search, we found media stories that included agents who not only have criminal histories, (including sexual abuse) but have also been arrested while transporting teens and charged with unlawful imprisonment and assault that was the result of one agent beating a child while they were handcuffed behind their back.

Psychological Concerns In The Transport Industry

If you’re going to use one of these services, here is some factual and helpful information about the psychological effects this may have on the child. On the parent. And on the overall relationship as a family. According to a routine extraction, the parents are allowed to wake the child themselves and introduce the child to the escorts, then they have to leave the room while their kids have to strip down in front of strangers and get dressed. And, depending on how the process goes, the child could also be restrained and extracted under further duress.

We found some companies have a security policy of using handcuffs in every case regardless of their behavior. Children have reported they were handcuffed and/or pepper sprayed just for crying. Some don’t use restraints at all. One thing is for sure, if one of these agents shows up at your home, your loved one is going away. The easy way, or hard. Psychologically, will the child forever feel abandoned or betrayed by the parent? Some legal authorities feel that these kids are actually being kidnapped; and no matter what they do, he or she will be removed from their home by strangers.

In one case, a transport agent reported back to 17 year old Valerie Ann Heron’s mother that the trip went smoothly. According to Heron's mother, the transport agent played his role well. "He made her feel comfortable with him. She trusted him. He talked to her about what to expect, where she was going," the mother also said. "She gave him a hug when she left him."

The day after that hug, Valerie rushed out of a second-floor classroom and jumped to her death off a 35-foot-high balcony.

Costs

Transporting a child can cost up to $6,000 depending on the amount of travel needed and incidental costs such as rental cars, motels etc. One company actually posts costs on their website (linked below) which offers flat rates. The average pick up and drive to location plus airfare is $1,600. Driving only, $695.00 to $2,495.00. Private charter flights average $1,000 to $5,500. Credit cards are accepted, and Pay Pal too. All payments are due when the agents arrive at your home. Also, according to reports, the cost of the transport can be included in the total package of an educational student loan.

In Closing,
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Parents in the United States are able to hire escort companies to transport their troubled children from home to teen residential programs, wilderness therapy programs, boarding schools, boot camps and behavior modification programs. The contract between the escort company and the parents include temporarily assigning parental rights and authority to the company for the duration of the transport from point A and point B. Though there are some escort companies that are legitimate and that do not abuse children, there are those that use less than appropriate tactics. The business is unregulated in the U.S.

The psychological and legal implications have not been addressed by state or federal governments. Taking in account the probable long lasting trauma from this type of transportation, to a facility that in itself is an environment that claims to restructure behavior to teens that are considered “troubled,” is troublesome. Is it an easy way out for the parent who doesn't want to have to endure the emotional strain on them of not only delivering up their child to one of these facilities, but also drive them there.

It’s a tuff enough decision to send your kid to one of these last resort programs, but getting them there can be even worse. Especially if the person is unwilling to go. These transporters come into your child’s safe environment, (home) and in most cases, are in bed asleep. Suddenly awakened, disoriented and scared. They are directed to strip down and re-dress in front of complete strangers who then escort them quickly out of their home (either restrained or not) and whisked away.

It appears that even if the transporter is professional in his or her job function, the child is going to still be traumatized just because of the “shock and awe” of it all. That is the concern that needs to be addressed. What will be the short and long term effect on the entire family? This is nothing more than a reverse to the process families use in hiring trained men and women who extract children out of religious cults and back to the safety of their loved ones and home.

End Of Story….


Jack Swint – Publisher
West Virginia News
E-Mail: WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
Website: http://www.WvnewsOnline.com
Blog: http://www.westvirginianews.blogspot.com
Twitter: @WVNewsonline
LinkedIn: Jack Swint
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Links
Google Video Of Transporter
Example Of Transport Companies
USA Transport
Safe Youth
New Start Transport
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New Study Shows Personal And Economic Freedoms In West Virginia

June 2011 George Mason University-Mercatus Center Study Ranks WV Low But Improving by Jack Swint

“Our approach to measuring freedom in the states is unique in three respects: (1) it includes measures of social and personal freedoms such as peaceable citizens’ rights to educate their own children, to own and carry firearms, and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure; (2) it incorporates more than 150 distinct public policies; and (3) it is particularly careful to measure fiscal policies in a way that reflects the true cost of government to the citizen.” … William P. Ruger and Jason Sorens
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Overall US Quick Summary On Findings

The in-depth study scores all 50 states on overall respect for individual freedom and on specific components of freedom: fiscal policy, regulatory policy, and paternalism. The data used is valid as of January 1, 2009 (fis¬cal data through fiscal year 2008), the latest year available consistently across our variables.

“We find that the overall freest states in the country are New Hampshire and South Dakota, which together achieve a virtual tie for first place, while New York is the least free by a considerable margin. On personal freedom alone, Oregon now comes first, with Vermont and Nevada not too far behind, and Maryland brings up the rear. On economic freedom alone, South Dakota easily takes first, and New York is a distant last.

The most improved states since the last edition of our study are Oregon, Nevada, Maine, and Washington, while Wyoming, California, Arizona, and Massachusetts have fallen the furthest. Two of the most intriguing findings of our statistical analysis are that Americans are voting with their feet and moving to states with more economic and personal freedom and that economic freedom correlates with income growth.”

Note: Entire detailed report is linked below


WV Quick Summary On Overall Freedom Rankings

Overall – 36th
Economic – 40th
Personal – 26th

In a nutshell, according to the newest release study, (June 2011) “West Virginia is one of the most improved states in the index. But it has a long way to go, especially on the economic side. Spending is high (especially education spending) as are some particular taxes (though the overall tax burden relative to personal income is about average). In particular, corporate-income and motor-fuel taxes are very high and among the highest in the country. Government employment is more than a standard deviation higher than the national average.

The state is fiscally centralized. Statewide land-use planning is virtually nil. West Virginia could improve its labor laws by repealing the prevailing-wage law, adopting right-to-work laws. However, health-insurance coverage mandates are below average. The state’s liability system is one of the worst in the country (more than two standard deviations below average). Asset-forfeiture laws are badly in need of reform, and eminent-domain reform needs to go fur¬ther. Gun laws are quite liberal, and marijuana laws are fairly moderate.

Beer and spirits taxes are fairly low, but the wine tax is more than twice the average level. Cigarette taxes are low and local smoking bans exist. West Virginia has a helmet law and authorizes sobriety checkpoints. West Virginia imposes teacher qualifications on home schoolers, as well as annual standardized testing and extensive notification requirements."

And, "West Virginia enjoys a low level of victimless-crime arrests and its drug law-enforcement rate is also low.” (Entire study is linked below)

Policy Recommendations For WV

(1) Cut state employment, which is well above the national average.
(2) Reduce the corporate income tax consistent with national norms.
(3) Reform the state’s liability and asset-forfeiture laws.


How State Profiles Were Prepared

“We started by collecting data on state and local public policies affecting individual freedoms. All of the statutory policies are coded as of January 1, 2009, the fiscal data are coded for the fiscal year 2007–2008, the law-enforcement data cover the entire year of 2008, and all data are also back-coded consistently to January 1, 2007. (FY 2006–2007)”

These state profiles highlight some of the most interesting aspects of each state’s public policies as they affect individual freedom. “In preparation for this year’s edition of Freedom in the 50 States, we conducted a survey of free-market policy analysts at think tanks associated with the State Policy Network (SPN).33 We contacted 58 policy analysts in 49 states and received responses from 37 policy analysts in 32 states (63.8 percent)."

The authors go on to say that..."The primary purpose of the survey was to obtain expert information on specific, realistic reform recommendations in each state. Our policy recommendations are therefore based partly on these survey responses and partly on note-worthy scores on policy variables we measure. It is worth noting that our respondents skewed heavily conservative. We asked respondents to grade the issue subcategories in our index on a 0–10 scale of their importance to individual freedom, 10 meaning most important."

The top three subcategories for respondents (mean scores in parentheses) were education (9.15), health-insurance regulation (9.07), and labor regulation (8.57). The bottom three subcategories were same-sex partnerships and other marriage freedoms (4.04), marijuana laws (4.48), and miscellaneous mala prohibita (5.37). Three respondents scored marriage-license restrictions as irrelevant to freedom (0). This study also outlines the effects of the federal stimulus on state and local Governments as well as comparison to previous indices of state-level economic freedom.


In closing…

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a 501(c)(3) education, research, and outreach organization that works with scholars, policy experts, and government officials to bridge academic learning and real-world practice.

According to there report, “Our mission is to generate knowledge and understanding of how institutions affect the freedom to prosper and hold organizations accountable for their impact on that freedom. The aim of our work is to enable individuals to live free, prosperous, and peaceful lives.”

The Mercatus Center is located on George Mason University’s Arlington Campus, along with the George Mason University School of Law, the Law and Economics Center, and our sister organization, the Institute for Humane Studies.

Jack Swint-Publisher
WV News 2011
(304) 982-7024
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com


Links To Report

PDF of 2011 Mercatus Center Report

Freedom In The 50 States

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To Purchase Books Written By Jack Swint  (click on link)

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2006 Duke Lacrosse Accuser Crystal Mangum Indicted For Murder

Murder And Mayhem Follows Former Stripper Since NC Duke Scandal by Jack Swint - Publisher

“On April 3, 2011, Mangum was jailed for assault using a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury after officers found her new boyfriend, Reginald Daye, in his apartment lying in the bathtub stabbed in the torso with a kitchen knife. He died two days later in the hospital. She has since been indicted by a North Carolina Grand Jury on first degree murder charges for killing Reginald Daye and larceny.” Herald-Sun Newspaper

Remember the NC Duke Lacrosse scandal in 2006 where black exotic stripper Crystal Mangum, pictured to the left, accused three members of the Duke team of sexually assaulting her in a bathroom while she was dirty dancing at a frat party. Most of society, all of the media and every black activist group across the country attempted to make it a hate crime by the white Lacrosse players.

Her rape allegations fell apart as one huge lie. Even though all charges were eventually dismissed, Mangums fabricated story will forever cast a dark shadow over the reputation of the accused men and the university. The county prosecutor lost his job and was disbarred after it was discovered he knew early on from DNA results that the accusations were without merit. Yet, he kept prosecuting the charges anyway.

Since The Duke Scandal

In February 2010, Crystal Mangum was arrested on attempted murder charges after threatening to stab and kill then boyfriend Milton Walker. She was also charged with arson after filling a bathtub with his clothes and setting them on fire. Also, resisting arrest, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. There were three children in the residence at the time of the incidents, and one of them called 911 according to investigators.

A jury only convicted her of contributing to the abuse and neglect of minors, resisting a police officer, and causing more than $200 in property damage to the car of a man who was then her boyfriend. All charges were misdemeanors. The judge sentenced her to 88 days in jail.

Several months later, she found a new boyfriend who she has managed to stab to death this time.

On April 3, 2011, Mangum was first jailed for assault using a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injurious after officers found her new boyfriend, Reginald Daye, in his apartment lying in the bathtub stabbed in the torso with a kitchen knife. He died two days later in the hospital. She has since been indicted by a North Carolina Grand Jury on first degree murder charges for killing Daye and larceny.

According to reports, she is not denying that her boyfriend was stabbed, but Mangums attorney claims she was simply trying to stop Daye from beating her. The defense lawyer said pictures from the incident show a battered and bruised Mangum. According to women who'd been in relationships with Daye, he was not an abuser. She is currently in jail on a $200,000 bond.
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In closing,

Susannah Meadows, a Newsweek reporter who covered the Duke rape case for two months back in 2006, did a follow-up story two weeks after Mangum was arrested in the Milton Walker incident in 2010. This passage is particularly revealing…

“North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper did not pursue any action against Mangum for making the false Duke accusations. Asked about it at a press conference where he dismissed the (rape) charges, Cooper intimated that she was not of sound mind. ‘Our investigators who talked with her and the attorneys who talked with her over a period of time think that she may actually believe the many different stories that she has been telling.”

During the entire Duke scandal, Mangum was important to local and national media, black activists from Al Sharpton to Jesse Jackson and hate groups like the Black Panthers. She was portrayed first as their victim at the hands of those white racist attackers. When that fell apart, she quickly became the conniving tramp who lied about rape charges and almost sent three innocent men to prison.

Were there always signs present that she needed some serious psychological help? A sign that this woman had potential to seriously injure or kill someone? Or, were we all too busy engaged in self-righteous posturing to notice?

End Of Story….

Jack Swint - Publisher
WV News 2011
(304) 982-7024
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
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Related Story: 
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Fake Rape Is Booming New Money Maker
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Texas Cop Fired After Helping Fellow Officers In Distress

Seventeen Year Veteran Cop Fired For Dereliction Of Duty For Assisting Officer Down Call by Jack Swint-Publisher

"My only concern on that day was to render aid to these two officers…Quite frankly; I couldn't believe that after being in law enforcement for nearly 17 years that I was being relieved of my duty for running an assist to an officer." ...Former Officer David Sedmak

Hero Or Not?

According to reporter Robert Stanton’s May 7 Houston Chronicle Story. It was a Saturday on campus when David Sedmak, (pictured to the upper left) a Rice University police officer, heard "Officer down, officer down!" on his scanner: Two members of the Houston Police Department had been shot downtown. Sedmak rushed to the scene to help his fellow officers.

But Rice didn't see Sedmak as a hero. Instead, the university fired him, citing "dereliction of duty." University spokesman B.J. Almond declined to comment about Sedmak's firing, but he provided a statement from the university.

"As a matter of policy, Rice University does not comment on personnel matters," the statement reads. "However, out of respect for the Houston Police Department, we want to clarify that David Sedmak was terminated from the Rice University Police Department for dereliction of duty. Sedmak left his post when only two other officers were on duty and failed to notify his supervisor of his whereabouts for nearly an hour, which could have endangered the safety of our students and campus."

Almond said that Rice University police officers frequently assist other law enforcement agencies near the university on a case-by-case basis. In the first five months of 2011, the department responded to 37 calls for help from adjacent police agencies.

The May 7, 2011 episode that led to Sedmak's controversial dismissal began when Jesse Brown, 20, was seen with a pistol as he tried to buy a ticket at the Greyhound bus station in downtown Houston. When HPD officer Fernando Meza, working an off-duty job at the station, confronted Brown about the weapon, Brown shot him in the hand. Soon after, Brown shot another officer, Timothy Moore, in the leg.

Sedmak said he arrived on the scene and prepared for a confrontation with the armed suspect. Several HPD officers came in after him and took cover behind his patrol car. Brown, who had been accused of shooting a 3-year-old girl, her grandfather and another man on Halloween in San Francisco, then shot and killed himself as Sedmak and the other cops closed in.

Both Meza and Moore were at a news conference Monday to show their support for Sedmak, a former Galveston police officer. The Houston Police Officer's Union presented him with a $2,500 check to help as he looks for new work.

Sedmak was stunned by the dismissal. "My only concern on that day was to render aid to these two officers," he said. "Quite frankly, I couldn't believe that after being in law enforcement for nearly 17 years that I was being relieved of my duty for running an assist to an officer."

"You don't fire a guy for this unless he's a chronic disciplinary problem," said Kevin Lawrence, executive director of the Texas Municipal Police Association, at a news conference this past Monday. "You call him in, you counsel him and you put him back out there (to work). If he's a good cop, he's a good employee. You use this as a training opportunity."

Law enforcement leaders are stepping up criticism of Rice University's firing.
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In closing,
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No matter where this happened... TX, WV, OH, NC, FL, CA, NE, etc etc, its just plain WRONG!!  What message does it send to the law enforcement community when the next emergency call goes out for any available officer in another close jurisdiction to assist his fellow officers??
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End Of Story….

Jack Swint-Publisher
WV News 2011
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
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Pistol Wielding Lawyer To Face Judge On July 6th 2011

After A Year Of Stalling Will Case Make It To Court This Time? By WV News Staff

Charleston WV area lawyer, Richard Lindroth, was arrested in July 2010 on charges he not only pulled a pistol from his pants pocket, stuck it in the chest of Gary Lowe and threatened his life; but he is also accused of obstructing police who were called to the scene. This all transpired while Lowe was next door from Lindroth’s home working on the roof of Estie Fields. Lindroth’s pit-bull reportedly became very aggressive towards the worker and when he tried to protect himself by using his tape measurer, Lindroth allegedly threatened to shoot him if he harmed the dog.
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South Charleston Police Officers responded to the scene; according to Cpl. E.M. Smith and Patrolman T.A. Bailes reports, they were interviewing Lowe when Lindroth approached them. Bailes asked Lindroth if he had a gun, he admitted he did, and that it was in his right front pants pocket. Bailes then put Lindroth's hands behind his back to search him and retrieve the gun, but Lindroth resisted and told the patrolman he would get the gun himself. He then attempted to reach for the gun in his pocket, police said.

The patrolman then forced Lindroth to the ground and handcuffed him. Bailes found a Glock Model 27 .40-caliber pistol in his pocket. Besides the two officers, Brian Liggett was present and witnessed the entire altercation while helping Lowe work on the roof. According to magistrate court records, Lindroth has continued this case 3 times already. It is now scheduled to be heard in front of Magistrate Jack Pauley on July 6th, 2011. The magistrate clerk’s staff stated that according to their records, there is no attorney on file representing him at this time.

Several lawyers we contacted feel that all Kanawha County Magistrates should withdrawal themselves from this case because of the conflict of interest due to the close personal and social relationships between Lindroth and these judges. The question of how Lindroth has managed to postpone this case for a year, and keep it at the Magistrate level, tends to support the possibility that favoritism may exist.

Worker Felt Threatened By Dog And Its Owner

Gary Lowe told this author that he felt in fear for his safety because the dog was approaching him aggressively and barking in anger. “I’ve been around dogs acting like that before, I felt threatened.” He had come down from the roof for only a minute when the pit bull came after him. His work partner, Brian Liggett was still up on the roof and witnessed what took place. Lowe stated he also feared for his life from Lindroth after the man pulled the pistol and aimed it at him.

According to Estie Fileds, whose home Lowe and Liggett were working on, “that dog will eat you up.” She also stated that Lindroth never keeps it on a leash. When asked if she knows whether or not Lindroth usually carries a gun, she said yes, all the time, and that he “always shoots his guns in the yard with his son.”

Ironically, in 2009, Lindroth was a staunch advocate against the new city ordinance South Charleston City Council wanted to pass that would require owners of certain canine breeds, such as his pit bull, to be registered and given special red tags. When outside, the pit would have to be kept in an enclosures or muzzled and kept on short leashes.

He also gave a statement back in 2009 (before the incident) to the online website, “Game Dog… A Pit Bull Community” on the good nature of this pet. "She's the gentlest, sweetest dog I've ever owned," And, "She's just not going to hurt anyone. But pit bulls have a bad reputation."

Not A Good Neighbor

There is a source who claims Lindroth was already very upset prior to the incident because he was in the middle of a huge dispute with Ms Estie Fields, who actually co-owns her home at Kanawha Ave with Richard Lindroth. According to Ms Fields, Lindroth owns 1/3 of her house located  4616 Kanawha Avenue. Lindroth had promised to buy out Fields 2/3 because the hospital wanted it along with the adjoining property at 4614 that Lindroth owns in full. He wanted to sell it all as a package deal. Fields said she moved out based on Lindroth's commitment to buy the house and his promise that he would pay her rent somewhere else while they waited on him to arrange to buy her out.

“He (Lindroth) never got the loan and he only paid my rent for three out of the fourteen months.” Fields stated that Lindroth finally told her he could not get a loan because of back taxes he owed. She and her boyfriend moved back to the house. “Never trust that man, he lies. How can he buy new cars and motorcycles but cant get a loan to buy a house?” (Lindroth does have tax problems – See Kanawha County Civil case 07-AA-58)

According to Fields, Lindroth told her that the hospital backed out of buying the house because it was too complicated with his tax problems and the joint ownership between her and Lindroth. One source we spoke to said that the hospital also backed out because Lindroth wanted to much money. Estie Fields said that in the end, she had the costs of paying rent, moving and more. “He also has never paid for his share of the property taxes or repairs, and he told me there is nothing I can do about it”

While the property was vacant, it began to fall into disrepair so a third party friend of Estie hired Lowe and Liggett and paid $1,700.00 to put a new metal roof on it because it appeared she would have to move back in, and she did.

No Place Without His Gun

We were unable to verify through the Kanawha County Sheriffs office if Lindroth has ever had or currently has a concealed gun permit. But, sources for this story claim that whether he has a permit or not doesn’t matter, he always carries a gun, even if it is just the small single shot pistol he hides behind his belt buckle. Our source also stated with confidence that Lindroth claims he always has a pistol on him; does that include the courthouses too? Wouldnt that be embarrassing to courthouse staff?

Past Problems With Failure To Pay Taxes And Porn

Lindroth’s legal problems date back to when he was former general counsel for House Speaker Bob Kiss. His tax problems were the result of him reportedly forgetting to pay state owed taxes for at least a 10 year period. All the while, he was working as a state employee, and collecting a state paycheck. Ironically, through all of his tax problems, he still has been able to remain a long-time member of the WEST VIRGINIA STATE AND FEDERAL TAXATION COMMITTEE. (See link below)

While working for former Speaker of the House Bob Kiss, Lindroth’s computer was seized by investigators after 80 pornographic pictures were found on the hard-drive. Up until then, there were no rules governing porn on state owned computers so no legal action was taken against him. Shortly afterwards, the House adopted new rules banning any pornographic material.

A call to the WV Disciplinary Council shows that there have been a total of 3 complaints on file against Lindroth but never any sanctions. The last complaint was filed in 2000.

In Closing,

There are a lot of questions surrounding this case. Attorney Richard Lindroth has managed to stall his misdemeanor criminal charges in Kanawha County Magistrate Court since police arrested him in July 2010 for brandishing a weapon and obstructing police officers. These are offenses that carry possible jail time. If convicted, will the lawyer’s disciplinary council also sanction him?

Will it go to court this time, or stall again? Is there a conflict between Lindroth and Kanawha County Magistrates since they all are friends with him?

According to his next door neighbor, Estie Fields, Lindroth is not a good neighbor or business partner. She says he hasn’t kept any promises and owes her money for past rent, repairs and past taxes on the house. We did try to contact Richard Lindroth but our calls were not returned.

End of story….

Jack Swint - Publisher
WV News 2011
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com


Link

WV State And Federal Taxation Committee
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