Wrong. The Haywood sheriff was never charged with anything. And Medford, who was found guilty, is most definitely a Republican.
"Medford was sheriff of Buncombe County for 12 years. According to testimony during his trial, the Republican took as much as $300,000 in bribes while in office to look the other way on illegal gambling and warn operators of state and federal raids." http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810060311 "Six Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford, a Republican who's served in that capacity since 1994, " http://www.mountainx.com/news/2000/0419county.php On Oct 8, 10:59 pm, Gaar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Funny, according to this Article they all belong to a Haywood County > Democratic Men’s group, and I see nothing about any of them being > Republicans... > > http://citizen-times.com/article/20080506/NEWS01/80505141 > > On Oct 8, 5:55 pm, wncs <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > But it does get punished, sometimes. Former Republican sheriff gets 15 > > years for corruption in office: > > Medford trial details millions made in gambling > > ASHEVILLE--The federal government on Tuesday wrapped up the long- > > running corruption investigation that netted Buncombe County's former > > sheriff and four of his top deputies. > > > U.S. District Court Judge Tim Ellis sentenced former reserve Capt. Guy > > Kenneth Penland, 77, to five years in prison. He sentenced former Lt. > > Ronnie Eugene “Butch” Davis to a little more than three years. > > > “I am very sorry at the age that I am that I got into this,” Penland > > said in court. “I hurt my family, I hurt the court and I hurt the law > > that I love so much.” > > > Former Sheriff Bobby Medford was sentenced to 15 years in prison > > Monday for taking bribes totaling more than $300,000 from illegal > > gambling operators. His attorneys said Tuesday Medford would appeal > > the sentence. > > > Former Lt. John David “Johnny” Harrison was sentenced to two 1/2 years > > Monday. > > > With those disgraced former law enforcement officers bound for prison, > > most of Tuesday in federal court was spent sentencing the men who made > > millions of dollars on illegal video gambling rackets. > > > Stunning flows of cash > > > The first revelation of the stunning amount of money being made in > > illegal video gambling came in a raid at the home of Demetre “Jimmy > > the Greek” Theodossis. > > > FBI and state Alcohol Law Enforcement agents found $1.7 million in > > cash throughout his log home and in a well and dog kennels on the > > property during a November 2006 raid. > > > FBI and state Alcohol Law Enforcement agents found $1.7 million in > > cash throughout his log home and in a well and dog kennels on the > > property during a November 2006 raid. > > > Federal investigators say the money came from illegal video gambling > > machines at his Hot Dog King restaurants and in other gambling houses > > he ran. > > > He paid the government $4.1 million in back taxes and gambling > > proceeds, his attorney said. > > > Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Edwards said in court Tuesday that > > Theodossis cooperated immediately and gave the government its first > > look at the bribery racket that would later bring down Medford. > > > “He was the first insider who did the hand-to-hand payments to these > > people,” Edwards said. > > > Theodossis, 59, jumped off a Greek Navy ship in New Jersey in 1973 and > > later became a U.S. citizen. He was sentenced Tuesday to one month in > > prison, three years of community confinement and eight months > > probation. > > > Friend and ally > > > Theodossis knew Medford through business. > > > Jack W. “Jackie” Shepherd, also sentenced Tuesday, was a longtime > > friend and political ally. > > > Shepherd, 63, had to pay the government a little more than $1 million > > in back taxes and gambling revenue. > > > During trial, Shepherd said he tapped Medford to run for sheriff in > > 1994 because he was unhappy that then- Sheriff Charlie Long was > > investigating his businesses. > > > He apologized Tuesday to the people who spent their paychecks > > gambling. > > > “Most of all I would like to apologize to the victims who put their > > money into the machines I was involved in,” he said. > > > North Carolina barred cash payouts from video poker-machines, and made > > them illegal altogether in July 2007. But businesses across the region > > kept the machines in back rooms that were turned into small > > underground casinos. > > > Shepherd got two years of probation and four months of community > > confinement, which most likely will be spent at a halfway house. > > > As part of his sentence he'll have to spend 25 hours talking to youth > > about his crimes and report back to the judge about the lectures. > > > Another friend, long-time gambling operator Jim Lindsey was sentenced > > to five months in prison, three years probation and five months > > community confinement. > > > He once paid Medford $6,000 to move machines into a store occupied by > > a rival. > > > He'd known Medford for 30 years. The two met on the job when Lindsey > > was the assistant chief deputy of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office > > under Sheriff Harry Clay. > > > He got out of the gambling business in 1995 but continued to pay > > bribes to help his sons, who took it over, he said in court. > > > His sons were spared charges as part of his plea deal. > > > “What I did, I did do it,” he said. “I know what I did was wrong. I > > would like to apologize to my family. I have hurt my church. I am > > sorry for what I did.” > > > Son spared > > > In an example of illegal video gambling's reach, Tuesday's sentencings > > also included video poker operator Charles McBennett Sr. of Haywood > > County. > > > He pleaded guilty in a deal that spared his son charges. > > > The judge said his statement to the court, called “allocution” in the > > federal system, was the most eloquent he had heard. > > > McBennett told the court he feels that his time running illegal > > machines “erased everything in my life,” including his former career > > as a vice president of a textile business – a job he got by working > > his way up from the bottom. > > > “I got into (video poker) to help my son,” he said. “I stayed in it > > because of the money. I am sorry. I have embarrassed my family. > > Whatever you do to me, I deserve it.” > > > McBennett, whose attorney told the court he was worth $1.1 million, > > got two years in prison, two months community confinement and, like > > Shepherd, must spend 25 hours talking to youth about his crimes. > > > He thanked the judge for the sentence. > > “I feel like this is a way to help me get over what I have done,” he > > said. > > > A fair punishment > > > At least one Medford's former crew sentenced Tuesday shared that > > sentiment. > > > Penland had family members say outside court they thought his five- > > year sentence was fair. > > > The former reserve captain collected money for Medford and worked for > > an illegal gambling company setting up new locations for video poker > > machines while serving as a volunteer deputy. > > > Davis, the former lieutenant, had nothing to say to the court. Members > > of his family cried as the judged handed down the sentence. > > > He was the deputy over video poker registration starting in 2005 and > > organized Medford's twice annual golf tournaments. Video poker > > operators were made to contribute cash to the tournaments, according > > to court testimony, for fear they would be shut down if they didn't. > > > In all, 28 people charged in the government's wide-ranging > > investigation have now been sentenced, with the last facing the judge > > Tuesday. > > > A string of people who cooperated with the investigation are due in > > court today and Thursday as prosecutors asks that their sentences be > > reduced. > > >http://www.citizen-times.com/article/2008810090301- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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