Posted on 05/23/2009 5:52:19 PM PDT by Larry381
SAVANNAH, GA—Joseph D. Newman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Macon, Georgia returned a forty-count indictment against Columbus attorney, John Mark Shelnutt, age 46. He was charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h), Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 1956, Aiding and Abetting a Cocaine Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21 United States Code, Section 846, Attempted Bribery of a Federal Official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 201, Witness Tampering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512, Failure to File Cash Reporting Forms, in violation of Title 31, United States Code, Section 5331, and Making False Statements to an FBI Agent, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
Newman, who is Acting U.S. Attorney on this particular case, stated that the indictment stems from a lengthy investigation of the Torrance Hill drug organization which operated in Columbus between 2004 - 2006. In that case, DEA agents seized over 270 kilograms of cocaine and more than $740,000 in cash. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia prosecuted the case against Hill and his conspirators, but recused their office from the current case due to a conflict.
The indictment charges that beginning in 2005 and continuing until 2008, Shelnutt participated in a conspiracy to launder proceeds of Hill’s drug organization. He is also charged with directly aiding and abetting Hill’s drug organization. Shelnutt was also charged in 31 substantive counts of money laundering, three counts of false statement, two counts of failure to file cash reporting forms, one count of attempted bribery, and one count of witness tampering. If convicted of the drug conspiracy charges, Shelnutt faces a statutory penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment and a $4 million fine. If convicted on the money laundering charges, Shelnutt faces a statutory penalty of up to 20 years and a fine of $500,000 on each count. Newman stressed that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Columbus, Georgia Offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. Rodney G. Benson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commended the agents that worked on this long-running investigation. Benson stated, “This investigation would not have been possible without the cooperation of the various participating agencies. This indictment demonstrates that no one is above the law."
I don’t pay too much attention to indictments. They are ONLY allowed to see the prosecution’s evidence and no one can speak for the defendant.
Remember, they indicted the Duke team.
I know.....it is shocking....I hope it doesn’t start a trend.
Phenix City is just across the river...Oh, the good ole days...
Interesting that they had to bring in a US attorney from another district.
I was born in Columbus Ga. and haven’t been back since.
Please, say it isn’t so’ please, please, the world as we know it will end!!!!!!
The main reason cops get away with so much BS, they all know the dirt on the local DA.
OUCH!
Didn’t see a party affiliation;Democrat?Just guessin’.
I bet you are right.
From Federal Election Commission records, here are Shelnutt’s campaign contributions — all to Democrats:
SHELNUTT, J MARK
UPATOI, GA 31829
BERRY & SHELNUTT P C
CLELAND, JOSEPH MAXWELL
VIA FRIENDS OF MAX CLELAND FOR THE US SENATE INC
04/10/2000 250.00 20020251224
SHELNUTT, J. M
COLUMBUS, GA 31901
BERRY SHELNUTT ET AL./ATTORNEY
BARROW, JOHN J.
VIA FRIENDS OF JOHN BARROW
06/25/2003 250.00 23991388777
SHELNUTT, J. MARK
COLUMBUS, GA 31902
BERRY SHELNUTT AND DAY/ATTORNEY
DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
10/26/2004 500.00 24981650537
SHELNUTT, JOHN
UPATOI, GA 31829
BERRY SHELNUTT & DAY/ATTORNEY
CLAY, CHARLES COMMANDER
VIA CLAY FOR CONGRESS.COM
09/30/2003 500.00 23992046676
SHELNUTT, JOHN MARK
UPATOI, GA 31829
BERRY SHELNUTT & DAY/ATTORNEY
BYRD, CHARLES W (’CHUCK’)
VIA FRIENDS OF CHUCK BYRD
04/03/2002 300.00 22991394049
SHELNUTT, MARK
COLUMBUS, GA 31902
BERRY SHELNUTT DAY AND HOFFMAN/AT
KERRY, JOHN F
VIA JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT INC
02/04/2004 500.00 25971217605
SHELNUTT, MARK M
COLUMBUS, GA 31901
BERRY SHELNUTT ET AL./ATTORNEY
BARROW, JOHN J.
VIA FRIENDS OF JOHN BARROW
09/30/2003 250.00 23992091759
02/06/2004 250.00 24991029354
07/18/2004 250.00 24962540800
09/26/2005 500.00 25971175040
03/30/2006 500.00 26950051109
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