Pubdate: Thu, 13 Sep 2007
Source: Fayetteville Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2007 Fayetteville Observer
Contact:  http://www.fayobserver.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: Greg Barnesand and Venita Jenkins

EX-ROBESON SHERIFF CHARGED

LUMBERTON -- Former Robeson County Sheriff Glenn Maynor has been
charged with misapplying federal money and lying to a grand jury,
according to federal documents made public Wednesday.

The charismatic Maynor, who ran the Sheriff's Office for 10 years,
also was charged with authorizing deputies to work for his personal
and political gain and with producing and using illegal satellite TV
cards. Maynor and his lawyers, John P. O'Hale and Douglas Parsons,
could not be reached for comment.

Maynor becomes the highest-ranking law officer to be charged since a
state and federal investigation known as Operation Tarnished Badge
began more than four years ago.

Seventeen former Robeson County deputies have pleaded guilty in the
investigation to charges including kidnapping, money laundering,
racketeering, theft of federal funds and satellite TV piracy.
Documents released Wednesday show that two more former deputies --
Robert Ivey and Hobert "Frankie" Britt -- have also been charged with
satellite piracy. All of the former deputies once worked for Maynor,
who ran the Robeson County Sheriff's Office from 1994 to December
2004, when he resigned citing health reasons.

Three months after his resignation, agents from the Internal Revenue
Service and the State Bureau of Investigation went to the Sheriff's
Office in a Ryder truck and seized documents, computers and drugs that
had been lying loose and untagged in the Drug Enforcement Unit.

The seizure marked the first public acknowledgement that an
investigation was under way.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bobby Higdon, chief of the Eastern District,
said the investigation continues. Higdon would not say whether more
arrests are expected or discuss details about the case.

He said the U.S. District Court would set a hearing for Maynor to
appear. Like the others who have pleaded guilty, Maynor is charged in
a bill of criminal information, which indicates that he has agreed to
a plea in exchange for his testimony.

The bill alleges that Maynor:
Conspired with others to intentionally misapply property valued at $5,000 or
more that the department received from federal programs between September
2002 and September 2003. Court records do not say how the money was spent.
Allowed Sheriff's Office employees to work for his personal and political
gain.
"These individuals would record the time they spent working for Maynor's
benefit as if they had been performing their normal duties, thereby forcing
the citizens of Robeson County to pay personal and political benefits
conferred to Maynor," the bill says.

Maynor solicited employees to clear trees and other debris from his
personal property, to collect contributions for his political
campaigns and to work fundraisers for his campaigns, including his
annual golf tournament. Lied to a grand jury June 7, 2006, about his
knowledge of former deputies' involvement in satellite TV piracy.

"Glenn Maynor knew that members of his department, including himself,
were involved in the production and use of illegal satellite cards,"
the bill says. Since his resignation, Maynor has kept a low profile in
Robeson County, attending only a few political ceremonies and a
fitness center to exercise a heart ailment.

His friend, political activist Leroy Freeman, said in December that he
thought the investigation was taking a toll on Maynor's health.
Freeman said Wednesday that he saw Maynor about two weeks ago. He
described him as "upbeat." "He was just going about his business and
whatever happened was going to happen and he wasn't going to sit
around and worry about it anymore," Freeman said. "It seemed like a
lot was off his mind." Operation Tarnished Badge began in 2003, when
Robeson County District Attorney Johnson Britt became suspicious after
former Deputy C.T. Strickland lied on an affidavit to search an
alleged drug dealer's home. Britt said rumors of other corruption, and
the fact that some deputies were spending lavishly, led him to ask the
SBI to investigate. Since then, Britt has spoken little about the
case. The same was true Wednesday. "I think it would be more
appropriate for me to comment once it's all formally over and done
with," he said.

Bo Biggs, a political observer, said he wonders how strong a case the
federal government has against Maynor.

"Publicly, I have complained about how long this investigation has
taken and the money spent to charge the ones who were not associated
with the drug task force," he said. "The charges with Glenn, I am
interested in the case that they have built against him. If a crime
has been committed, there has to be justice at the end of the day."
Noah Woods, chairman of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners,
said he hadn't talked to Maynor in months.

"I am very sad that he has been charged with these crimes," Woods
said. "I had a good working relationship with him as a public
official." Woods said he didn't know whether the county would try to
recoup the tax money used to pay deputies who were working for Maynor
during political campaigns and personal work.

"That is a legal issue that will have to be discussed by the district
attorney and the county attorney," he said.

Sentencing for most of the 17 former deputies who have pleaded guilty
had been set for the end of this month. The hearings were postponed so
pre-sentencing reports can be prepared. They have not been
rescheduled. Freeman said he hopes the charges against Maynor mean
Operation Tarnished Badge is winding down.

"I just hope this thing is over and everybody can get on with their
lives," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek