Newspaper Page Text
making the
midway
Workers with Family At
tractions set up the mid
way at the Burke County
Exchange Club Fair,
which opened Tuesday
night. Gates open at 5:45
p.m. through Friday and
at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Admission is $3 and
armbands for unlimited
rides are $15. The fair
serves as the Exchange
Club’s annual fundraiser,
and proceeds are used
to fund nearly $10,000 in
scholarships for local
high school seniors each
spring.
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04420
Laundered through local businesses
Thousands stolen
from federal funds
By Elizabeth Billips
lizbillips@yahoo.com
An Augusta man has been indicted for laundering grant
money intended for low income children through
Waynesboro businesses.
Bernard Walker, a former nutrition specialist for the Cen
tral Savannah River Area Economic Opportunity Author
ity. Inc. (CSRA EOA), is accused of stealing federal funds
that were supposed to provide meals for low income chil
dren enrolled in Head Start programs in Burke and 10 other
counties, according to information provided by United States
Attorney Edward J. Tarver.
In less than a year’s time. Walker. 44, allegedly used those
funds to buy six vehicles from Top Quality Auto. His most
recent purchase, in March of 2009, was a Jaguar. According
to Walker’s indictment, he purchased the vehicles by pre
senting CSRA EOA checks he obtained by submitting fraudu
lent invoices. He had reportedly submitted invoices for the
federal funds by pretending fictitious vendors were provid
ing food services for disadvantaged children in the area.
For each of the six vehicle purchases. Walker received a
check back from Top Quality for the difference between
the vehicle’s price and the check he presented. All totaled,
Walker signed over checks for nearly $77,000 and was given
back more than $27,000 in change.
Prior to the vehicle purchases. Walker is accused of steal
ing federal funds by submitting fraudulent invoices for food
services from SamRos Enterprises in Waynesboro and re
ceiving checks for those services.
In March 2007, Walker purchased a $476 rug from
Goldberg’s Furniture with one of the checks, and received
more than $4,000 cash back for the difference. Less than
two months later, he deposited a $4,634 check made out to
SamRos into Thankful Baptist Church’s bank account, then
wrote himself a check from the church for the same amount.
While officials at the attorney’s office would not go into
detail, the indictment indicates the church and businesses
were victims in the fraud.
“Each year the federal government provides millions of
dollars to Head Start programs in the Augusta area ... and
taxpayers have a right to expect that this money will be
used for its intended purpose,” U.S. Attorney Tarver said,
calling Walker’s case an abuse of his position.
Walker is charged with seven counts of money launder
ing and seven counts of theft from a program receiving
federal funding. Each laundering charge carries a sentence
up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. Each theft charge
is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to
$250,000.
The indictments came after a joint investigation by the
FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and forfei
tures of all the proceeds gained from the alleged fraud will
be sought.
Weekend accidents
claim two lives
By Elizabeth Billips
lizbillips@yahoo.com
A Burke County man died in a fire, and another was
killed while cycling.
Enoch Dukes Jr., 57, and Marcus Anthony Proctor, 21,
died in unrelated accidents over the weekend.
The first fatality was early morning Friday on Drone
Road. According to EMA Chief Rusty Sanders, firefighters
were dispatched to Dukes’ home after his brother, who lives
next door, awoke to see the wood-frame house fully en
gulfed in flames.
The brother attempted to get to the victim, Chief Sand
ers said, but was forced back by the flames. Dukes’ body
was exhumed and transported to the GBI crime lab for
identification purposes, Burke County Coroner Lee Webster
said.
The fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s
office, but is believed to have been accidental, possibly
from an unattended cigarette or a space heater placed too
close to the sofa.
Around 12:30 p.m. the following day, Proctor was killed
in a cycling accident near his grandfather’s home on High
way 80 East, a half-mile from the Highway 56 Spur.
According to Trooper First Class II Samuel Price of the
Georgia State Patrol, two hunters who witnessed the acci
dent from a passing vehicle said Proctor, who had been
riding along the “fog line,” turned left in front of a driver
who was attempting to go around him.
“The driver swerved all the way to the other side of the
road trying to miss him,” Trooper Price said, explaining
that the driver, 21-year-old Richard Patrick, who is also a
neighbor, was not found at fault.
According to Coroner Webster, Proctor was transported
to Burke Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
1706:554-21141
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