Shelby County – Criminal Investigation In Order After Numerous Allegations of Crimes Committed

Shelby Co. (ECWd) –

One of the key tools for local government accountability is found with a criminal investigation.  By all indications of what we are reading on local social media pages, outbursts from people in county board meetings and public comments, it is clear a laundry list of criminal accusations exist, some of which the County Sheriff heard during meetings.

Were crimes committed as alleged?  A formal complaint on those allegations should be made so they can be properly investigated. If so, charging decisions are in order.  If no crimes were committed, the allegations made by certain people will be proven false and they can then own their false accusations as such.

Items worthy of a criminal investigation:

• Alleged theft of WEX cards from the Shelby County Dive Team vehicles.
• Alleged illegal reproduction of keys to a building.
• Alleged illegal transfer of titles by County Board members.
• Alleged illegal transfer of titles by former Dive Team Member.
• Alleged threats made to a former county board member to vote a certain way.
• Alleged solicitation of donations by a group of people having no established legal entity.
• Alleged acceptance of donations by a group of people having no registration with the Attorney General Charitable Trust database as required by law to accept donations.
• Alleged acceptance of funds to a division of the county but failing to turn those funds into the County for appropriate accountability.
• Alleged failure to file applicable IRS returns related to donations to former members of the Shelby County dive team.
• Alleged theft of dive equipment, stolen by either County Board Members or Dive Team Members.
• Alleged credit card account creation without authorization.
• Alleged misapplication of funds by former Shelby County Dive Team Members.
• Alleged illegal purchase of a new vehicle with County Funds by a former Shelby County Dive Team member (Failed to bid)
• Alleged use of County EIN tax-exempt number for vehicle purchase (if not owned by the county use of EIN would be a crime)
• Alleged illegal charging of services by former members of the Shelby County Dive Team.
• Alleged use of public resources (dive equipment) for private purposes.
• Alleged billing insurance companies for services provided by the Shelby County dive team.
• Alleged sale of a vehicle with no county declaration they were surplus (traded on new truck).
• Alleged registration of vehicles with the Secretary of State to a nonexistent entity (not a legal entity – not registered).

While there may be other allegations we have not heard or read firsthand, we encourage those who make such allegations to follow through and file the appropriate complaint to the police so that proper investigations can be conducted.

Understand, anyone can file a police report alleging a crime has been committed, but we caution the filing of a knowingly false police report is a crime.  For those who have cast the above accusations, we encourage you all to stand by your words and demand the matter be investigated by an independent law enforcement agency.  When those investigations are complete be prepared for the results as it will be a two-edged sword if those allegations are determined to be false.