Forsyth sheriff candidate charged with influence peddling (NOTE: login required, see BugMeNot for login information.
As if we're not already swamped with enough problems with our city jail and the sherriffs, now one of the candidates for Forsyth county's sherriff's department is in jail for "influence peddling".
The sole candidate opposing the incumbent Forsyth County sheriff has been arrested by FBI agents on charges that he promised contracts and political favors in exchange for money if elected. The federal criminal complaint against Gary Allen Beebe, 43, states that between September 2003 to on or about July 8, he promised business contracts for the towing services for Forsyth County, the bonding companies for the Forsyth County Jail, the operation of the DUI school and "permission to rob known drug dealers in Forsyth County that have eluded law enforcement without threat of prosecution."During one conversation with an FBI witness, the witness asked Beebe what would happen if he "put a cap" on a person the witness felt had wronged him and "Beebe commented that it would be an unsolved murder," according to the complaint.
Officials with the U.S. Attorney's office said they caught conversations on videotape.