A Southeast Georgia sheriff under investigation for using inmate labor on private property is now facing questions about how he pays for the labor.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into longtime Camden County Sheriff Bill Smith. Inmates from his county jail are routinely used to build ramps, paint and do other work on private property. That's illegal under Georgia law.
But Sheriff spokesman Charlene Sears says, the program is funded with seized drug assets not public money. "They're all seized assets," Sears says. "We sometimes are able to use other funding agencies, but never tax funds."
The problem is, seized assets go through the U-S Treasury and are designated only for law enforcement purposes. The Georgia Times-Union says it has records showing Smith paid criminals thousands of dollars.
Smith's supporters say, questions about the inmate labor are politically motivated. They say, the county benefits from the program. Yesterday, inmates were putting up a fence at a domestic violence shelter
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into longtime Camden County Sheriff Bill Smith. Inmates from his county jail are routinely used to build ramps, paint and do other work on private property. That's illegal under Georgia law.
But Sheriff spokesman Charlene Sears says, the program is funded with seized drug assets not public money. "They're all seized assets," Sears says. "We sometimes are able to use other funding agencies, but never tax funds."
The problem is, seized assets go through the U-S Treasury and are designated only for law enforcement purposes. The Georgia Times-Union says it has records showing Smith paid criminals thousands of dollars.
Smith's supporters say, questions about the inmate labor are politically motivated. They say, the county benefits from the program. Yesterday, inmates were putting up a fence at a domestic violence shelter
