John Rhodes Day

So the EFFECTIVE go to guy for Easley may be going to jail!

U. S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
George E. B. Holding
Eastern District of North Carolina
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
THURSDAY – January 21, 2010
FORMER NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR’S ASSISTANT INDICTED
RALEIGH – United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced
that today a Federal Grand Jury returned a 51-Count Criminal
Indictment charging CHARLES RUFFIN POOLE, 37, of Raleigh, North
Carolina with extortion under color of official right, in violation
of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951; bribery concerning
programs receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United
States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(B); use of the mail in aid of
racketeering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section
1952(a)(1)&(3); honest services mail fraud, in violation of Title
18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 1346; money laundering,
in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section
1956(a)(1)(B)(I); and monetary transactions in criminally derived
property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section
1957.
According to the Indictment, from 2001 to 2009, POOLE served
as Personal Assistant and Special Counsel to the Governor of North
Carolina.
Mr. Holding commented, “The privilege of serving the citizens
of the State is accompanied by a sacred responsibility to conduct
oneself honorably, ethically, and within the bounds of the law.
Public service should not be, and cannot be, an opportunity for
improper personal gain by the employee, or by others relying on
their friendship with that employee. The Grand Jury’s decision
today is a reminder to all public servants of their obligations to
the people of this state.”
“Our country was formed on the premise that public officials
serve others, not themselves. Anyone who serves in government has
the trust of the people they represent, and we cannot afford to let
that trust be corrupted. The FBI will remain vigilant in seeking
out those who choose to abuse the system,” said Owen D. Harris, the
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
“When servants of the people are involved with, and perform
illegal acts it shakes the trust of the people. Hopefully this
Indictment will start to restore the public faith. The IRS-CID
will diligently investigate public officials who use their office
for personal gain,” said Jeannine A. Hammett, Special Agent in
Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.
The maximum penalty for extortion under the color of official
right is up to 20 years imprisonment followed by up to three years
of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum
penalty for each of the bribery charges is up to 10 years
imprisonment followed by up to three years supervised release and
a fine of up to $250,000. For each charge of use of the mail in
aid of racketeering, the maximum penalty is up to five years
imprisonment followed by three years supervised release and a fine
of up to $250,000. For each charge of honest services mail fraud,
the maximum penalty is up to 20 years imprisonment followed by up
to three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
For each charge of money laundering, the maximum penalty is up to
20 years imprisonment followed by up to three years supervised
release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the
property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. For
each charge of monetary transactions in criminally derived
property, the maximum penalty is up to 10 years imprisonment
followed by up to three years supervised release and a fine of up
to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property
involved in the transaction.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has
committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and
unless proven guilty in court.
It is important to note that POOLE is the only individual
charged in the Indictment returned by the Grand Jury today, and it
does not allege wrongdoing by any other person.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service -
Criminal Investigations Division. This case is being handled by
the Office’s Economic Crimes Section, with First Assistant United
States Attorney John Stuart Bruce and Assistant United States
Attorney Dennis Duffy assigned as prosecutor.
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News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at
www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.