February 8, 2012

Gubernatorial candidate has arrest record

Records show that the Green Party and United Citizens Party candidate for governor in South Carolina has a criminal record. South Carolina Law Enforcement records show Morgan Bruce Reeves was charged twice in the 1990s with passing fraudulent checks and in 1994 with assault and battery charges, but those were dismissed.

The Associated Press reports the Green Party and United Citizens Party candidate also paid $500 in fines for driving-related offenses. Reeves told the Post and Courier, who first reported his arrest record, he was not ashamed of his past.

Reeves is currently owner of Reeves Group LLC, which clears lots for construction.

Kidnapping suspects arrested (AUDIO)

Writer: Tom Hayes

David Jackson, Ashlea Laughlin, and Brooke Collins Stumbo are now in custody in Florida following an alleged kidnapping.

Greene County, Tennessee Sheriff Steve Burns says all three people were arrested in Miami around midnight Monday. An AMBER Alert was issued in Tennessee after seven month-old Drake Kingston Boyd was taken during a violent incident on Sunday. South Carolina also issued an AMBER Alert after a car stolen from the child’s mother was found in Newberry County Monday morning.

Sheriff Burns wants the three suspects extradicted back to Tennessee.  He says the incident that began the kidnapping was a violent one.

AUDIO: Burns on assault (:18)

[Read more...]

Surfside Beach couple pleads guilty to fraud

A Surfside Beach couple pleaded guilty in federal court in Florence Monday of bilking the federal government out of nearly half a million dollars. At the change pf plea hearing evidence was presented that showed that 55 year old Frank Vass, Jr. and his wife 64 year old Linda Vass both filed false claims and lied to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs about the condition of Frank Vass by claiming that he was only able to walk a few steps at a time and was required to use a wheelchair. Frank Vass also made false statements to the Social Security Administration. Because of the false statements attributed to the Vass’s the couple received $494,907.00 from the federal government which they were not entitled to, between 1999 and 2008.

Agents with Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration filmed Vass walking his dog, washing his van, and driving to the Veterans Affairs Administration where he would unload his wheelchair and wheel himself in for treatment.  The couple will be sentenced at a later date. They face a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars and $250,000 fine.

90 cats found in one apartment (AUDIO)

Last Friday, Project Pet had been called to an apartment with the intent to vaccinate the owner’s cats, instead, the visit became an animal rescue. They do not typically go into homes for rescue, but found 90 cats in a woman’s 850-square foot condo in Lexington County.

Tracy Johnson, who is Director of Operations for Project Pet said they knew that it was going to be a bad situation when they approached the door.

AUDIO: Johnson tells what they found (:30) [Read more...]

Councilman proposes stricter ban on illegals in Summerville

A Summerville Town councilman is trying to keep illegal immigrants out of Summerville. Town Councilman Walter Bailey introduced a proposal Monday night at a committee meeting.

It would prohibit illegal aliens, people in the country illegally, from being employed or renting a house or apartment. The idea is that if they’ve got no place to work and no place to live, they’ve got no reason to be here and they can go somewhere else.

Bailey explains his motive behind the proposal:

Everyday that an illegal alien is in the Town of Summerville, they are taking somebody’s job. They are either an illegal alien or citizen. It’s crime and it’s affecting other people that want to work for a living. [Read more...]