| The Rhea County Newspaper |
| "Rhea County's REAL Information Source" |
Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly taking "what
he was told were payments from ethnic Indian store owners to protect their video poker
business and other illegal activity."
Long was arrested on charges involving federal bribery, money laundering, providing a
firearm to a felon and other offenses. It seems that crimes of this type are growing like
weeds all around the state, but this time the FBI is the lawn mower.
Long will appear in federal court today at 3 p.m. at the United States District Court and
officials say more charges are likely to come.
Below is the official news release from the Department of Justice that has apparently
already got several Rhea County officials shaking in their shoes, according to a local
source. It seems that the F.B.I. has stepped up to the plate and are answering a few
"unanswered prayers that God hasn't answered" according to a local area resident who
wanted his name kept off the record. Although Rhea County is the next county north of
Hamilton County, the arrest of this disgraced sheriff is a much needed snap back to reality
showing that nobody is above the law, contrary to what they might think.
Then again, maybe God is indeed answering prayer and "kudos" to the United States
Attorney's office, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation for reassuring the public
that official corruption will not be tolerated.
U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE NEWS RELEASE
Hamilton County Sheriff, William "Billy" Horace Long, was arrested today in Chattanooga
by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges involving federal bribery
and other offenses. This arrest was announced by FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC)
Richard Lambert, and United States Attorney James R. "Russ" Dedrick.
Long's initial appearance is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 2, 2008, in United
States District Court in Chattanooga, before the Honorable William B. Mitchell Carter,
United States Magistrate Judge.
The details of the charges, which include: Hobbs Act Extortion, in violation of Title 18,
United States Code 1951; Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,
Section 1956; and, providing a firearm to a felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,
Section 922(d), are outlined in the arrest warrant and supporting affadavit (click beneath
"Associated Links"), which are attached to this press release and are filed as public
records in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at
Chattanooga.
In summary, the affidavit alleges that beginning on April 3, 2007 and continuing until
December 14, 2007, the Sheriff accepted 12 payments totaling $17,400, representing what
he was told were payments from ethnic Indian store owners to protect their video poker
business and other illegal activity. Thereafter, the FBI introduced the Sheriff to what he
believed was a drug trafficking and money laundering operation.
Beginning on December 3, 2007, and continuing until January 24, 2008, the Sheriff
accepted five cash payments totaling $6,550, representing his payoff to a Cooperating
Witness (CW) supposedly laundering $625,000 in drug trafficking proceeds. United States
Attorney Dedrick stated that the United States will seek additional charges related to
Saturday's arrest by the FBI.
United States Attorney Dedrick said, "Law enforcement corruption cannot be tolerated and
must be dealt with quickly and professionally. Local, state and federal agencies must work
together and rely on each other to protect our citizens and to insure a safe environment.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, its deputies and staff, have worked effectively
to support these ideals in the past and I am sure will do so in the future."
FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard Lambert said, "More than any other crime, it is public
corruption that tears most at the fabric of democracy. When the desire to make money
overshadows the duty to serve, not only is the fidelity of government threatened, but our
very way of life is jeopardized. It is for those reasons that public corruption is the FBI's top
criminal investigative priority."
The Hobbs Act, Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, provides that "whoever in any
way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or
commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires to do so, or
commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan
or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined no more than $10,000 or
imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. The statute further defines "extortion" as
used in this section as "the obtaining of property from another, with his consent, induced
by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence or fear, or under color of official
right."
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(3) provides in relevant part: "Whoever with the
intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity conducts or attempts to
conduct a financial transaction involving property represented to be the proceeeds of
specified unlawful activity, or property used to conduct or facilitate specified unlawful
activity, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 20 years or both."
Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(d) provides; "It shall be unlawful for any person to
sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having
reasonable cause to believe that such person -- is under indictment for, or has been
convicted of any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one
year." The maximum penalty is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Federal law provides for fines in the amount of $250,000 for each violation of the Hobbs
Act, the firearm statute, and the money laundering statutes; and, a mandatory special
assessment of $100 for each felony conviction and restitution to victims.
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is
presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Dedrick expressed thanks to SAC Lambert and the FBI agents for their hard
work and dedication to the investigation and to his Assistant United States Attorneys and
staff for their support of the FBI's investigation.
Click here to read the formal affidavit against Sheriff Long, or should we say
"EX-Sheriff-soon-to-be-jailed for a Long time"... no pun intended.
Maybe Billy Long should have watched this video clip embedded below before he tried to
play the role of "Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrain".
he was told were payments from ethnic Indian store owners to protect their video poker
business and other illegal activity."
Long was arrested on charges involving federal bribery, money laundering, providing a
firearm to a felon and other offenses. It seems that crimes of this type are growing like
weeds all around the state, but this time the FBI is the lawn mower.
Long will appear in federal court today at 3 p.m. at the United States District Court and
officials say more charges are likely to come.
Below is the official news release from the Department of Justice that has apparently
already got several Rhea County officials shaking in their shoes, according to a local
source. It seems that the F.B.I. has stepped up to the plate and are answering a few
"unanswered prayers that God hasn't answered" according to a local area resident who
wanted his name kept off the record. Although Rhea County is the next county north of
Hamilton County, the arrest of this disgraced sheriff is a much needed snap back to reality
showing that nobody is above the law, contrary to what they might think.
Then again, maybe God is indeed answering prayer and "kudos" to the United States
Attorney's office, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation for reassuring the public
that official corruption will not be tolerated.
U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE NEWS RELEASE
Hamilton County Sheriff, William "Billy" Horace Long, was arrested today in Chattanooga
by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges involving federal bribery
and other offenses. This arrest was announced by FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC)
Richard Lambert, and United States Attorney James R. "Russ" Dedrick.
Long's initial appearance is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 2, 2008, in United
States District Court in Chattanooga, before the Honorable William B. Mitchell Carter,
United States Magistrate Judge.
The details of the charges, which include: Hobbs Act Extortion, in violation of Title 18,
United States Code 1951; Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,
Section 1956; and, providing a firearm to a felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,
Section 922(d), are outlined in the arrest warrant and supporting affadavit (click beneath
"Associated Links"), which are attached to this press release and are filed as public
records in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at
Chattanooga.
In summary, the affidavit alleges that beginning on April 3, 2007 and continuing until
December 14, 2007, the Sheriff accepted 12 payments totaling $17,400, representing what
he was told were payments from ethnic Indian store owners to protect their video poker
business and other illegal activity. Thereafter, the FBI introduced the Sheriff to what he
believed was a drug trafficking and money laundering operation.
Beginning on December 3, 2007, and continuing until January 24, 2008, the Sheriff
accepted five cash payments totaling $6,550, representing his payoff to a Cooperating
Witness (CW) supposedly laundering $625,000 in drug trafficking proceeds. United States
Attorney Dedrick stated that the United States will seek additional charges related to
Saturday's arrest by the FBI.
United States Attorney Dedrick said, "Law enforcement corruption cannot be tolerated and
must be dealt with quickly and professionally. Local, state and federal agencies must work
together and rely on each other to protect our citizens and to insure a safe environment.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, its deputies and staff, have worked effectively
to support these ideals in the past and I am sure will do so in the future."
FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard Lambert said, "More than any other crime, it is public
corruption that tears most at the fabric of democracy. When the desire to make money
overshadows the duty to serve, not only is the fidelity of government threatened, but our
very way of life is jeopardized. It is for those reasons that public corruption is the FBI's top
criminal investigative priority."
The Hobbs Act, Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, provides that "whoever in any
way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or
commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires to do so, or
commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan
or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined no more than $10,000 or
imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. The statute further defines "extortion" as
used in this section as "the obtaining of property from another, with his consent, induced
by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence or fear, or under color of official
right."
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(3) provides in relevant part: "Whoever with the
intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity conducts or attempts to
conduct a financial transaction involving property represented to be the proceeeds of
specified unlawful activity, or property used to conduct or facilitate specified unlawful
activity, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 20 years or both."
Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(d) provides; "It shall be unlawful for any person to
sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having
reasonable cause to believe that such person -- is under indictment for, or has been
convicted of any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one
year." The maximum penalty is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Federal law provides for fines in the amount of $250,000 for each violation of the Hobbs
Act, the firearm statute, and the money laundering statutes; and, a mandatory special
assessment of $100 for each felony conviction and restitution to victims.
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is
presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Dedrick expressed thanks to SAC Lambert and the FBI agents for their hard
work and dedication to the investigation and to his Assistant United States Attorneys and
staff for their support of the FBI's investigation.
Click here to read the formal affidavit against Sheriff Long, or should we say
"EX-Sheriff-soon-to-be-jailed for a Long time"... no pun intended.
Maybe Billy Long should have watched this video clip embedded below before he tried to
play the role of "Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrain".
| Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long Arrested by FBI ~~~~~~ Rhea County Officials said to be "nervous" Kent Believit, Sr. Contributor |
