Fifth charge released in bids inquiry
By From staff reports
Published in News on August 31, 2011 1:46 PM
A fifth person has been charged in the investigation into public corruption at Wayne County Public Schools and the Goldsboro Housing Authority.
U.S. Attorney Thomas Walker announced Tuesday that Pamela Carol Turner, 45, of Selma, co-owner of All American Roofing and Construction, has pleaded guilty to structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements.
Ms. Turner's case file was still sealed in federal district court Friday when court officials confirmed the charges against the other four suspects in the investigation.
They are:
* David Lee Tedder, 50, of Selma, co-owner of All American Roofing and Construction, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.
* Danny Lee Langley, 54, of Snow Hill, former school maintenance director, charged with conspiring to commit bribery.
* Earl Wayne Rhodes, 58, of Pikeville, former assistant maintenance director, charged with conspiring to commit bribery.
* Jimmie Lewis Farmer, 59, of Goldsboro, charged with obstruction and making a false statement to a federal agent.
Langley and Rhodes were both released on bond Monday. Farmer was released on bond Aug. 26.
The investigation, which began in June 2009, centered around roofing contracts awarded to All American Roofing in Selma and allegations that the company paid a cash percentage to Langley and Rhodes in exchange for the contracts.
And it was out of that investigation that the charges against Farmer arose after it was revealed that All American won four jobs at the housing authority and one of the contracts was found to have only a single, backdated, bid, which Farmer is alleged to have lied about placing into the folder.
"Competitive bidding is necessary for government to get quality work for the best price. When individuals rig bids it not only prevents other capable individuals and companies from capitalizing on their skills and abilities, but, as in this case, wastes taxpayer money," Walker said in a written statement.
"When an elected official uses the power of an office to receive favors, it eats away at the public's trust in our system of government. One of the FBI's highest priorities is stopping the backroom deals that only serve to benefit the people with influence, and not the public they are hired to serve," said Chris Briese, special agent in charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
Maximum penalty for structuring transactions is up to 10 years imprisonment. For conspiring to commit bribery the maximum penalty is up to five years imprisonment, and for bribery, for making false statements and for obstruction the maximum penalty is up to five years imprisonment for each count.