Sheriff Finds Himself On Wrong Side Of Law
Feds Claim Va. Sheriff's Department Sold Drugs That Had Been Seized
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Henry County Sheriff Frank Cassell was indicted along with 12 of his employees on federal racketeering charges, Oct. 31, 2006, in Roanoke, Va. (AP Photo/The Roanoke Times)
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A former postal worker, a former probation officer and five other people also were indicted by federal prosecutors. The charges included racketeering conspiracy, weapons charges, narcotics distribution, obstruction of justice and perjury.
H. Franklin Cassell — the sheriff of Henry County, a former textile hub situated about 50 miles from Roanoke — was quoted by investigators as saying the only way to acquire wealth is to be “a little crooked and not get caught.”
Cassell owns large tracts of land and a trucking company and has reported more than $20,000 in dividends yearly, the government said.
Prosecutors said that for the past eight years, cocaine, steroids, marijuana and other drugs that had been seized by the sheriff's department were resold to the public. A sergeant who agreed to cooperate with investigators was paid off by the ring to use his house for distributing drugs, authorities said.
“It is disgraceful corruption,” U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said.
The case was built on the work of sheriff's deputy James Alden Vaught. The government alleges Vaught used a home he owns in Martinsville as a "drug drop," reports CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV in Roanoke.
Cassell was charged with impeding the investigation by the FBI and federal drug enforcement agents and with money laundering. He was in custody Thursday and awaited a bail hearing in the afternoon.
Fourteen others also were in custody, and police had been in contact with the rest of those indicted except for one defendant who was at large, Brownlee said.
The sheriff's department has 96 officers. State police and officers from the Henry County city of Martinsville are helping to run the department in the meantime.
Cassell has been sheriff since 1992 in the county of about 58,000 residents along the North Carolina line.
The region used to be a center of the furniture and textile industries. But Henry County suffered about 10,000 layoffs in the 1990s as the factories closed. Its unemployment rate reached double-digits during the early part of this decade.
The area is now best known for the Martinsville Speedway, where NASCAR races are run twice a year.
A few years ago, former county administrator Sid Clower went to prison for embezzling more than $818,000 between 1993 and 2002 as the county sank into economic despair. He used the money for gifts and trips and to support an out-of-wedlock child.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



Great story, great message.
or he didn't share the wealth with the other BUREAUCRATS
because we know they not REALLY interested in cleaning up the GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION..
YOUR EITHER ON THE SIDE OF A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT
or
YOUR ON THE SIDE OF THE PEOPLE
there is no middle of the road..
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
James B. Veasaw v. Cari M. Domingues,et al.
No: 05-1467
Securities and Exchange Commission was giving away and/or selling Govt. jobs, and Government employees commit CRIMES against the people (me and others) Perjury, mail/wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence...etc and the COURTS (US SUPREME COURT!) were helping them it COVER UP..!
PEOPLE
GET OUT AND VOTE LIKE YOU LIFE DEPENDS ON IT..!
Officers prosecuted %u2013 wounded drug trafficker
given full immunity in exchange for testimony
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51417
YOUR EITHER ON THE SIDE OF A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT
or
YOUR ON THE SIDE OF THE PEOPLE
there is no middle of the road..
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
James B. Veasaw v. Cari M. Domingues,et al.
No: 05-1467
Securities and Exchange Commission was giving away and/or selling Govt. jobs, and Government employees commit CRIMES against the people (me and others) Perjury, mail/wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence...etc and the COURTS (US SUPREME COURT!) were helping them it COVER UP..!
PEOPLE
GET OUT AND VOTE LIKE YOU LIFE DEPENDS ON IT..!
I agree with what you say...we need people in office who will be OUR voice...not just lining their pockets with our tax dollars for the rest of their dirty lives...Republicans and Democrats alike...so people...vote for change and honesty
We thought those movies were a made up tail!
Enron and others exposed us more how these lies and corruptions are in our lives today and affecting us today.
I hope everyone keep up these types Crackdowns.
I love to see how people amazed of peoples riches and not even think how they got them in the 1st place.
If your corrupted, you not safe anymore. American has changed!
I suspect sadly, this is not even scratching the surfaces!
The more crackdown the better the world will be.
Give me a break: the man is just another drug dealer. He is one of those bad people who ruin the lives of our children. He should get double penalty in a hard confinement.
Give me a break: the man is just another drug dealer. He is one of those bad people who ruin the lives of our children. He should get double penalty in a hard confinement.
We should demand drug test of out elected officials. How can we expect to stop the problem if the problem has to supply some of our the top-shots too?
What a concept.
What a racket.
Virginia is SO incredible corrupt. Personally, I don't care. It's the AMERICAN FASCISM I care about.
It would remove the corruption and money.
At least from that illegal drug.
Jimmy47, said:
"We should demand drug test of out elected officials?"
That is a bad idea only because they are part of the profit machine that helps keep pot illegal in the first place. (Multi million dollar business)(Fact: elimanite the pot user in drug tests and the number of all other drug types goes way down. 40 million plus down)
Not to mention an invasion of one's privacy.
It also did not say they were using, only dealing and the tax payer would have to foot that bill.
No chance of being arrested. LOL
"Legalize it, and"
Sheriff Cassell will advertise it. LOL
The county sheriff in Allegheny county, PA (Pittsburgh) was forced to resign last week because of long time corruption in his department.
Just because these guys wear a badge doesn't mean much. Today, you need to watch your back when dealing with all "government" authorities particularly law enforcement, as you never know what side of the "law" they're on.
There isn't enough pay to ever satisfy GREED!
Many sheriff no doubt get paid less than Drug Dealer Sheriff Cassel and they don't run a drug cartels and lead a life of crime. LOL
I say throw the key away and let them enjoy a "reunion" with some of the guys they already put in jail before them ....they deserve each other !
Nancy in VA
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by vaboy1
November 3, 2006 12:58 PM PST
- that comment that was posted just now its ya boy Kevin every day all day holla at me and to my boy Marvin locked down in the city keep ya head up boy them crackers gone let u out real soon and when u get out come holla at me and we gone blow blue like the good old days
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