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Post by itsmyopinion on Oct 17, 2007 21:13:08 GMT -5
Sheriff's Department officials indicted
By Chris Ramirez
chris.ramirez@amarillo.com
www.amarillo.com/stories/101707/indictment.shtml
Michael C. Shumate and a former deputy who is challenging him in next year�s Potter County Sheriff�s race each were indicted today on unrelated corruption charges.
A Potter County grand jury issued public corruption charges against Shumate, 58, alleging he accepted illegal bribes from the county�s jail food service and commissary vendor, Mid-America Services Inc.
Kenneth R. Farren, 55, also was indicted and faces misdemeanor charges of misusing county employee and inmate labor for his personal gain.
In June, Farren quit his job as Shumate�s chief deputy and announced plans to run against his former boss for sheriff in the Republican primary.
The grand jury also returned an indictment against a third person � Robert W. Austin Jr., 53. Austin is president of Dallas-based Mid-America Services.
Prosecutors say in court documents Austin and his company used bribes to obtain contracts with Potter County.
Shumate and Farren surrendered to Attorney General�s investigators today at the FBI office in Amarillo. |
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Post by catsmeow on Oct 17, 2007 21:17:28 GMT -5
Very interesting!!!!!!!
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Post by itsmyopinion on Oct 17, 2007 21:56:24 GMT -5
Potter sheriff, jail food company president indicted
hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TX_SHERIFF_INDICTED_TXOL-?SITE=TXPLA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) -- The Potter County sheriff was indicted Wednesday on a public corruption charge for allegedly accepting bribes from a vendor that handles food service at the county jail and in its commissary.
Sheriff Michael C. Shumate, 58, was to turn himself in to FBI agents in Amarillo, District Attorney Randall Sims said.
Selden Hale, Shumate's attorney, said his client has been investigated by two county offices and a special prosecutor from Lubbock in the two years since he filed for divorce, and no charges came from those.
Now the FBI and the Texas attorney general have looked at him, he said.
"I don't really have much to say besides that," Hale said. "We'll do our talking in the courtroom."
Shumate is accused of engaging in organized criminal activity by accepting bribes from Mid-America Services, Inc. by taking illegal contributions from the company that handles food services at the Potter County Jail.
Shumate did not report the contributions on his campaign finance reports, which is required by the Texas Election Code, according to a release from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's office.
Both Shumate and Abbott are Republicans.
Mid-America President Robert W. Austin Jr., and the company face the same charge for allegedly giving Shumate the money to retain the jail contract, Sims said.
A man who answered the phone Wednesday evening at Mid-America in Dallas said he didn't know how to reach Austin; no phone listing was found in Palmer, which is listed as his address on his indictment.
Austin and the company induced Shumate with cash, checks, out-of-state trips, laptop computers, meals, clothing and other valuable items, according to the release.
Sims said he will recuse himself and his office as the case goes forward to avoid any appearance of impropriety. The investigation began about two years ago, he said.
"There's been a lot of rumors about Potter County going around for a while," Sims said. "And now they know what's rumor and what's not." |
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Post by catsmeow on Oct 17, 2007 21:59:15 GMT -5
Potter County certainly is never dull, that's for sure.
"As Potter County Turns."
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Post by catsmeow on Oct 18, 2007 8:17:24 GMT -5
In reading more about it this morning ... all I can say is, "how sad for everyone involved."
What a mess!
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Post by zebrarick on Oct 18, 2007 9:12:25 GMT -5
To think he offered money to catch bad guys.
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Post by catsmeow on Oct 19, 2007 12:11:04 GMT -5
I guess I'm kinda surprised more people aren't talking about this ...
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Post by zebrarick on Oct 19, 2007 12:25:10 GMT -5
Maybe some people are not suprised wth it? I dunno. Or maybe just disappointed?
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Post by catsmeow on Oct 19, 2007 12:26:57 GMT -5
Maybe some people are not suprised wth it? I dunno. Or maybe just disappointed? Could be. It had been brewing a while. I think the Farren indictment is surprising to most people, though. |
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Post by time2fly on Oct 19, 2007 15:23:39 GMT -5
I'm to the point that nothing suprises me...I guess
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Post by mattoid on Oct 19, 2007 15:32:43 GMT -5
Bozo da cop  Say hi to Bubba for me at PMITA Prison ;D |
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Post by tinkerbell on Oct 19, 2007 15:51:26 GMT -5
Guess he is going to get a free ride on Bubba's Bus and meet lots of new friends!
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Post by tinkerbell on Oct 19, 2007 16:53:17 GMT -5
Found this in archives AGN
Web posted Monday, August 9, 1999
12:37 p.m. CT
Letters to the Editor
Ex-Crime Stopper
needs bus ticket
Hey, Amarillo, don't you think it's Mike Shumate who needs to take a ride on Bubba's bus?
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Post by gracepro on Oct 20, 2007 8:13:10 GMT -5
Bozo da cop Say hi to Bubba for me at PMITA Prison ;D I miss the day back in the 80's and 90's when he wore his "Bozo the Clown" hairstyle. ;D ;D |
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Post by catsmeow on Oct 21, 2007 8:58:57 GMT -5
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