So it turns out I associate with criminals. Not knowingly, in my defense.
I know several people peripherally, and there are a number I would say I get along with, but not many I would call friends.
One guy we played free poker with regularly, Bill, was one such guy, and we all got along with him well enough. Then one day, Bill overheard Chad and I talking about racquetball, and he announced that he was a great racquetball player, and he and I should play sometime.
So we did start playing, with regularity, and he played with Chad, me and Scott. It was going well, and he started coming over to the home poker games as well.
He was, in fact, the most adament about playing racquetball, and would call me almost an annoying amount, always wanting to play.
Then the phone calls stopped, rather abrubtly.
I was at first relived, but then I wondered what happened to him, so I called his cell, and got his father-in-law, who basically wouldn't tell me any details about where he was.
I concluded that Bill must be in jail. Anything else, car wreck, or similar that put him in the hospital, sent to Iraq, joined the peace corps, etc, his father-in-law would probably be willing to offer up.
This nagged at me, because I couldn't figure out what Bill would have done to land himself in jail, so I figured it must be DUI, since I'd see him drink plenty and still drive around, and I know he drinks at the bar quite regularly.
But I had nothing to prove this, so I kept trying to find some resource to confirm my guess.
I figured there had to be some public records search to find arrest records, court cases, etc. I mean it should be part of the public record if he's arrested, right?
I finally found the
nebraska state prison inmate search, which is really, really, cool.
I my suspicions were confirmed, but it was not DUI.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2005, 11:20 a.m. CDT
CONTACT:
Regan Anson, 402-471-2067
Bruning Announces Sentence in Atlanta Grain Elevator Case
(Lincoln, Neb.) Attorney General Jon Bruning and Phelps County Attorney Tim Hoeft today announced that William White, former owner of the Atlanta Grain Elevator in Atlanta, Neb., has been sentenced to 6-10 years in prison on each of eight counts of felony theft.
White’s sentence for each count, which was imposed by Phelps County District Court Judge Terri S. Harder, will be served concurrently. White was found guilty of the Class III felonies on July 14, 2005.
Bruning said, “This case was about bringing justice to the 50-plus farmers who were betrayed by one man’s greed. White collar crime is financially devastating not only for those directly involved, but also for communities as a whole.”
The Nebraska State Patrol began an investigation in March 2001 at the request of Hoeft who was concerned about possible criminal misconduct by White at the elevator, which is located in Atlanta, six miles southwest of Holdrege. At that time, search warrants were served on the elevator and the home of White, near Funk, Neb., by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office. Three computers and numerous receipts, scale tickets and other paperwork detailing the daily operations of the elevator were seized.
The Attorney General’s Office and the Phelps County Attorney’s Office pursued charges against White after discovering he had unlawfully transferred the titles of farmers’ grain (which was in open storage) to the Atlanta Grain Elevator and sold it to third parties.
White operated the elevator from 1998 until he voluntarily surrendered his Nebraska Public Service Commission’s (PSC) license in March 2002 when federal and state audits at the elevator revealed a major shortage of grain and soybeans. Originally, the PSC received claims of more than $4.5 million against the elevator.
The case was handled by Hoeft and Assistant Attorney General George Love.
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| Last: |
WHITE |
First: |
WILLIAM |
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First: |
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MALE |
Race: |
WHITE |
Date of Birth: |
10/01/1967 |
Current Age: |
39 |
| Facility: |
TECUMSEH STATE COR INSTITUTION |
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| Facility: |
TECUMSEH STATE COR INSTITUTION |
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6 Years 0 Months 0 Days |
10 Years 0 Months 0 Days |
| Sentence Begin Date: |
11/24/2006 |
Good Time Law: |
364 |
Projected Release Date: |
11/21/2011 |
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| Parole Eligibility Date: |
11/21/2009 |
Parole Hearing Date: |
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Next Parole Board Review Date: |
05/2007 |
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PHELPS |
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6 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
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6 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
10 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
PHELPS |
| Felony - - |
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6 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
10 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
PHELPS |
| Felony - - |
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6 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
10 Yr 0 Mo 0 Da |
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So I guess I know a honest-to-God white collar criminal. The part that really blows me away is that when we started playing racquetball, he had already been convicted, yet never mentioned anything. Of course, if it was me, I don't know if I would have either.
