Tag Archive for sheriff ben stewart

Deputies Seize $40,000

December 7, 2011 Crime, Front Page Comments Off
Currecny Seizure 12-03-2011

Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart reports that On Sunday afternoon the 3rd day of December 2011 at approximately 4:00 PM, Sheriff’s Deputies stopped a 2008 Buick sport utility vehicle for a traffic infraction on interstate 10. The vehicle was traveling 90 miles per hours in a posted 70 mile per hour speed zone.

Deputies noted several discrepancies provided between the two occupants of the Buick and other suspicious activity regarding the driver not able to identify the passenger or from whom they had borrowed the vehicle from.

A Canine search of the exterior of the vehicle gave a positive alert by k-9 “Dare” which resulted in a “Probable cause” detailed search of the vehicle. The detailed search discovered a large sum of currency located in back pack. The currency was commonly packaged in a manner indicative of a drug couriers fashion for transporting currency. A count of the currency revealed the amount to be $40,000.00.  The occupants of the vehicle denied ownership of the currency or having any knowledge of the currency or mysteriously how it appeared with their belongings. A receipt for the seized currency was provided and the investigation continues. The occupants were from Huntington California and Tampa Florida.

 

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Sheriff’s Office Issues Warning About Solicitation Calls From Fraternal Order Of Police

July 5, 2011 Crime, Front Page Comments Off

Submitted by Sheriff Ben Stewart

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has received several complaints this week regarding telephone solicitations. The Majority of these complaints have been concerning calls from the Fraternal Order of Police, better known as FOP. As Sheriff of Madison County I wanted to advise our citizens that the Sheriff’s Office has not and will not authorize telephone solicitations from any organization. These most recent complaints included FOP solicitors advising that they purchase equipment for the Sheriff’s Office and Madison Police Department as well as help local children. The FOP does not assist the Sheriff’s Office or Police Department with anything nor does it help local children.
Most importantly, as Sheriff I will continue to advise our citizens to never, never, never give any credit card, bank account information, or personal information to anyone that calls you on the telephone. If you are interested in obtaining information from a caller then ask them to send you information in the mail. The only time that I would advise you to give any information over the phone is when you have initiated the call and you know for sure who you are speaking with.
Finally, fraud and identification theft are the fastest growing crimes in America, telephone solicitations are major players in these crimes. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office supports the Florida Sheriff’s Boy’s Ranch and The Florida Sheriff’s Association. Solicitations from these organizations will only be received in the mail and they will have my signature on them. Any other solicitations that name the Madison County Sheriff’s Office are not authorized.

Ben Stewart – Sheriff of Madison County

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Sheriff Announces Click It or Ticket

May 23, 2011 Around Madison, Front Page Comments Off

The Madison County Sheriff, Ben Stewart reports that the Madison County Sheriff’s Office is participating in the state of Florida’s 11th annual Click It or Ticket campaign. The Click It or Ticket campaign began Monday, May 23, and continues through Sunday, June 5, 2011. The campaigns targets as zero tolerance for motorist, who fail to wear their safety belt. Beginning in the year 2010 the state of year Florida passed a primary safety belt law that allows law enforcement officers to pull over a motorist that is not wearing their seat belt.

Remember, safety belts save lives. This year, buckling up will also protect your pocket book. So be sure to click it or get ready for a ticket.

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Sheriff’s Office Postpones Golf Tournament

April 11, 2011 Around Madison, Front Page, Sports Comments Off

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Madison County Sheriff’s office golf tournament for the Florida Youth Ranches has been postponed until further notice.
Sheriff Ben Stewart reports that David Ballenger, who coordinates the event, is not able to do the tournament at this time due to health problems.
Watch The Madison County Carrier and The Madison County Carrier, as well as check www.greenepublishing.com for further details.

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Emotional Discussion at County Commission Meeting

March 3, 2011 Front Page One comment

By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.

Budget cuts and drug testing contracts made for some intense public input at the March 2 meeting of the Madison Board of County Commissioners. First up to speak was Marianne Green addressing the need of the entire country, particularly Madison County, to do more than just talk about budget cuts at a time when state and local funding sources that have helped Madison in the past are now drying up. Green herself, having received notice that her late husband’s Survivor Benefit Plan was cutting her monthly benefits by $30 a month, told commissioners that she had asked Congressman Ander Crenshaw to work on a “share-the-pain” plan to cut $30 from the monthly income of everyone else who has retired from government (Green’s late husband retired after 30 years in the U.S. Navy).
Budget cuts were also the initial reason the Commission had taken bids from several drug testing companies months earlier, to see if there was a less expensive, local alternative to the one currently being used, Airport Medical in Valdosta. In its January meeting, the Commission had awarded the contract to Tax Doctor and More, MD, owned by Meshalene Love-Taylor. However, at its February meeting, after reviewing the proposed contract and seeing no significant cost savings, the Commission voted 3-2 to rescind their earlier action and remain with Airport Medical.
“What in the world happened?” asked Rev. Albert Lee Barfield. “In this time of tightening belts…this is a slap in the face of every Madisonian tax-payer, when someone in the county can do it, work still goes outside the county.” Barfield went on to say that “we need a partnership between county and black-owned businesses…she (Taylor) is local, and I think we ought to take a lot of stock in our local businesses. It’s what made Madison.”
Barfield then questioned each commissioner about why he or she had voted for or against the contract at the last meeting. Those who had voted for it cited cost savings and “shopping locally,” while those who had opposed it said they had not seen any significant savings after reviewing the contract. Commissioner Justin Hamrick declined to answer.
Sheriff Ben Stewart took the floor to respond that some services needed to go out of the county, to companies that had no ties whatsoever with the community. “I’m not against her (Taylor), I’m against anyone local drug-testing.”
It would be a conflict of interest for anyone local, he added, because “we (in the Sheriff’s Office) have to deal with people in a negative fashion. We write them citations, we put them in jail, we hurt their feelings…if that place in Valdosta burned down tomorrow, I’d ask that we use a drug-testing service in Tallahassee or Perry or Lake City.”
The discussion ended with Barfield asking about the county’s minority advancement policy and Commissioner Renetta Parrish referring him to Oliver Bradley of the EEOC. Stewart assured everyone that he had an open-door policy and that anyone who had any concerns with the Sheriff’s Office to come by and he would be glad to discuss them.

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Help Sought For Sheriff’s Youth Ranches Golf Tournament

February 15, 2011 Around Madison, Front Page, Sports Comments Off

Click to enlarge images

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Jail Report

January 27, 2011 Crime Comments Off

1/19

            Herman Thomas Williams – VOP, DUI with property damage

            Patrice Nichole Washington – Out of county warrant

            Jonathan Ren Warren – Criminal registration

1/20

            Marcus Leonard Wilson – Petit theft

1/21

            Carl Michael Wharton – Trespass, possession of drugs without a prescription

            Ericka Denise McNair – Petit theft

1/22

            Leon Lee Brown, Sr. – Felony possession of a weapon, possession of a concealed weapon, possession of a weapon in the commission of a felony, resisting arrest with violence, improper exhibition of a weapon, disorderly intoxication

            Gregory Sean Cooley – Grand theft

1/23

            Jarvis Lamar McQuay – Local warrant (VOP)

            William Morris Pemble – Allowing an unauthorized person to drive

            Allison Marie Fouraker – Driver’s license violation

            Robert Wesley Dunn – Battery (domestic violence)

1/24

            Brian Keith Anderson – Battery

            Jimmy Lee Bryant – Loitering (prowling), VOP (circuit)

            Phillip Dee Holbrook – Exploitation of the elderly

1/25

            Tyrone Lovone White – Domestic violence (battery)

            Tyrece Shantel Fleming – Sex offender registration

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