County kickbacks alleged
Former maintenance supervisor at center of probeBy Brad Bauer, bbauer@mariettatimes.com
A former county employee cleared of wrongdoing in one investigation is the target of another, the Washington County Sheriff's Office announced Monday.
Two search warrants were executed Monday, one at a Meigs County company that did business with Washington County and the other at former county maintenance supervisor Chuck Moody's residence at 1620 Moody Ridge Road in Vincent.
The Meigs County warrant alleges Moody bragged about getting "kickbacks" from a company from which he had ordered nearly $50,000 worth of energy efficient light bulbs. Police suspect more than $40,000 of the bulbs were never delivered to Washington County.
Monday's search of Universal Products in Long Bottom also revealed Washington County may have improperly paid an additional $10,000 to $15,000 for cleaning chemicals, according to Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks.
"We have found a number of invoices where the county was paying for these chemicals and this (company) doesn't even deal in chemicals," Mincks said.
The sheriff said $24,800 in cash was seized from a safe and numerous financial records were taken in the search at Universal Products. Financial records were being seized from Moody's residence Monday night, Mincks said.
Moody, who resigned Oct. 30 from his position as county building maintenance supervisor, was responsible for placing the orders with Universal Products. Mincks said all of the purchase orders would have been approved by former Commissioner John Grimes, who left office in January after losing in the 2008 primary election.
Grimes and fellow former Commissioner Larry Steinel were accused of destroying public records shortly after leaving office in January. According to the county prosecutor's office, both face possible indictment by a future grand jury. Moody was also implicated in the destruction of records, although the prosecutor's office recently said he would not be charged in connection with that.
"It makes you wonder why all these records were destroyed," Mincks said. "It's a theory we're looking at."
The time frame of the alleged purchasing scheme was not immediately clear. Moody had worked for the county since 1997.
According to the search warrant, a police informant overheard Moody brag about receiving kickbacks from Sam Seckman, owner of Universal Products, who was paid nearly $50,000 by the county for 143 cases of light bulbs. Mincks said he can only confirm 38 cases were delivered.
Mincks said Seckman is cooperating with the investigation. As of Monday afternoon, no arrests had been made, but Mincks said arrests or indictments in the case are likely.
Moody could not be reached for comment. A person at Seckman's residence said he was not available for comment Monday afternoon.
Mincks said Moody resigned after other maintenance employees were questioned about the missing inventory. Moody's resignation letter indicated he had been planning to relocate and made no reference to any problems or allegations.
"I believe he knew we were looking into this when he resigned," Mincks said. "Since then, we have attempted to question him and he refused to cooperate."
Mincks said Moody has an extensive criminal background, including convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, burglary, arson and drunken driving.
Commissioners Sam Cook and Steve Weber said they could not discuss the specifics of the investigation; however, they said purchasing protocols at the county are being reviewed.
"We've got a system of checks and balances, but if the guys you are working with are crooked, you've got a problem," Cook said. "The problem is the person told us the items were delivered and ready for payment."
Weber said new inventory standards and confirmation of delivery will be required before payments are issued in the future.
Washington County Prosecutor Jim Schneider had indicated last week Moody would not face charges surrounding the alleged destruction of records.
"I stand by that statement," Schneider said. "Whatever Moody did there was at the request of Steinel or Grimes, so he did it at the direction of his boss and that's not subject to prosecution."
Schneider had previously stated he planned to present cases to a grand jury earlier this month against Grimes and Steinel. When that didn't happen Schneider said he had no excuse for the delay. He declined to comment on whether the ongoing investigation or the execution of Monday's search warrant led to the delay
|
formermttan
|
|
|---|---|
|
11-12-09 12:47 AM
|
I agree the sheriff should quit trying people in the media. Guess it works when your objective is to destroy someone who stands up to you in budget issues. Don't know about Moody, but if Grimes is to blame for the actions of an employee, should Muncks not be blamed for the actions of his? Go to Marietta Register's site and search Mark Hiatt. The actual report is there and shows theft in office (details Hiatt's actions while on duty and in a cruiser). The sheriff knew about it but did nothing. The county paid Hiatt $10000 in addition to 2 months paid leave @ $25 an hour and allowed him to resign instead of firing him. No one can give a bad recommendation for future employment nor tell what he did. Grimes did nothing wrong (sheriff is who talks to media and he has a grudge - matter of power with him). Schneider knows it. But don't cross the SO or he will be after him next.
|
|
Ann1947
|
|
|
11-11-09 9:30 AM
|
FALL GUY !!!!....What a JOKE ...I can see the LIGHT ...lol
|
|
mattelliott
|
|
|
11-11-09 9:02 AM
|
A couple years from now, readers will forget about the current trio. They will be replaced by a new gang of thieves. Lots of flash and a little cash will get anyone elected and or appointed. Just look at Washington DC. Theives & crooks are operating at all levels of our Government.
|
|
hockeypuck
|
|
|
11-10-09 9:47 PM
|
This is all just politicians being politicians. These jokers always think they can get away with anything. Grimes, Steinel, Moody...all will live in infamy!
|
|
MT1234
|
|
|
11-10-09 8:08 PM
|
Maybe we ought to petition to rename this town Salem.
|
|
CluelessOH
|
|
|
11-10-09 7:54 PM
|
If the commisioners told him to kill someone and he did, would the prosecuter not prosecute because his bosses told him to do it? I think not. The guy knew it was illegal and he done it anyway. Just like he knew that what he is being accused of now is illegal.
|
|
Indian
|
|
|
11-10-09 6:42 PM
|
I know background checks are MANDATORY for people working for kids. I know its different. I DON'T why a background check is not mandatory for employment in our county. It makes sense, especially if one is dealing with ordering or working with money. And there is not reason not to have it re-checked every 5 years. I even think that a background check should be part of the Board of Elections candidate process.
|
|
NasCarNut
|
|
|
11-10-09 5:47 PM
|
Mincks said all of the purchase orders would have been approved by former Commissioner John Grimes... so that's why Grimes' computer was wiped clean...
|
|
boots65
|
|
|
11-10-09 2:01 PM
|
Yeah, matched by the supervisor.
|
|
SilenceDogood
|
|
|
11-10-09 1:29 PM
|
A lot of feet dragging by the county prosecutor's office...again. It sure would be nice to have an up and coming lawyer full of vim and viger run for this office the next time and maybe we would get better results. I don't buy this, "..he was only doing what his boss told him to do..." line. This is starting to stink to high heaven.
|
|
Harleyrider
|
|
|
11-10-09 12:51 PM
|
boots65, I understand that they don't count each item, but an inventory is done and numbers are matched.
|
|
boots65
|
|
|
11-10-09 12:32 PM
|
Background checks for people working with children are MANDATORY, but I doubt if it is for county workers. Moody was hired in 1997 and mandatory checks were probably not required for anyone at that time. He was probably hired on the recommendation of a friend already in the county offices...perhaps Steinel or Grimes? Purely speculation. The auditor's office would not personally check the number of light bulbs, but would take the word of the supervisor that signed for them and ok'ed the payment of the invoice. They probably do inventory based on what the supervisor says they have in stock. The auditor's office has too much to do to have time to count light bulbs and paper clips.
|
|
Indian
|
|
|
11-10-09 12:26 PM
|
A person who volunteers in a school needs a background check. Certainly for different reasons, but still required. Why wouldn't they do background checks on all employees for the county? Why wait til we find out they are crooks?
|
|
Harleyrider
|
|
|
11-10-09 12:22 PM
|
outraged, I think that the comments about the Sheriff were for shooting his mouth off and speculating. As to your other point, yes we do need to have someone counting lightbulbs and in fact we do. It is called the county auditors office and without them, we would have no chance to catch the thieves employed by the county.
|
|
outraged
|
|
|
11-10-09 12:09 PM
|
why is it that everytime the sheriffs office finds things like this out. they blame the sheriffs office for it. how was the sheriff suppose to know any of this until his investigation was started. everyone should stop feeling sorry for grimes and stinel and all of the people connected with them in all this mess and let the sheriffs dept do their job. without being called names. wcsd has done alot in this town and surrounding area with little to no man power. just log onto the sheriffs web page and look at the scum they are catching. what county employees do on their time off is not mincks job to watch these people all the time. do you think someone should be paid to walk around and count burnt out lightbulbs for the county? now that job would be a crime. think about it people!!!!
|
|
myopinion
|
|
|
11-10-09 11:31 AM
|
To Washington County officials ... I hope you have frozen the Public Employee Retirement Funds of those suspected of this theft because ... these employees (if they have 10 years or less of government service) can withdraw "ALL" of their retirement funds including those contributed by Washington County.
|
|
concernedpatriot
|
|
|
11-10-09 10:39 AM
|
This area amazes me every single day. This Moody character has an extensive criminal record and yet he held a rather high level position in county management. What is wrong with this picture. What other crap like this is going on within the county and city. I have been told since I have lived here, Marietta and the surrounding area people are a cut above everyone else...............yeah right.
|
|
Harleyrider
|
|
|
11-10-09 9:41 AM
|
"Mincks said Moody has an extensive criminal background, including convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, burglary, arson and drunken driving." Who hired this guy? I say we run them out on a rail. Has nobody heard of a background check? Should we not be carefull in who we hire for government positions?
|
|
mattelliott
|
|
|
11-10-09 9:22 AM
|
Only an idiot would write a check for 50K worth of energy saving light bulbs, (especially for Marietta) without asking multiple questions!! Talk about a RED flag....get real.
|
|
andthatsthewayitwas
|
|
|
11-10-09 9:09 AM
|
Does anybody else see the amazing Sheriff as a joke? This joker is the epitome of unprofessional. It is unacceptable for a LEO to speculate in the media; this does nothing, but taint the investigation and prosecution.
|
|
Buckyes1
|
|
|
11-10-09 8:56 AM
|
Ok did they not do a criminal background check on this guy?????
|
|
rikrab
|
|
|
11-10-09 8:42 AM
|
Will the prosecuting attorney come to Moody's rescue again? Maybe someone asked him to do it. You know the just following orders loophole.
|
|
boots65
|
|
|
11-10-09 8:38 AM
|
...and the plot thickens!
|
|
boots65
|
|
|
11-10-09 8:35 AM
|
...and the plot thickens!
|
|
truthandbelieve
|
|
|
11-10-09 8:22 AM
|
Well, this is getting interesting. I wonder who hired Moody.
|