You can't trust a convict

You just can't trust anyone these days. Who would have thought that a convict would be so under-handed as to turn in a park ranger for accepting bribes.

Park ranger accused of soliciting bribes from inmates he supervised (MiamiHerald.com)

A state park ranger took money from prisoners he supervised at a work-release program in exchange for special treatment, police said. Nelson Mompierre, 43, of Key Biscayne, was in charge of inmates who worked at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on the southern tip of Key Biscayne. Miami-Dade police detectives and FBI agents began an investigation last June after receiving complaints that Mompierre had solicited money from one of the prisoners. For an $80 bribe, Mompierre allowed a visit at the park between an inmate and the inmate's girlfriend, according to an arrest affidavit. Mompierre also lent the inmate his cellphone, the affidavit said. The same inmate went to the FBI after Mompierre threatened to kick him out of the work-release program unless he paid Mompierre $2,500. An FBI agent posed as the wife of that inmate to infiltrate Mompierre's suspected scheme. She arranged to give Mompierre $500 to keep the inmate in the work-release detail. She also sent Mompierre money orders for $150 and $200 that he demanded, according to the affidavit. Mompierre was charged with three counts of unlawful compensation for official behavior, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each count.

I thought my pay was bad, but it's not so bad that I need to scam money out of prisoners. For more details, read the Arrest Warrent Affidavit.

Suspicious looking Tennessee park ranger

If you are a Tennesse park ranger, then you may want to think twice about driving outside the park in uniform or you may have to eat the pavement looking down the barrel of a state troopers gun.

Man who stole park ranger uniform, gun sought (WBIR.COM)

Police are looking for a man who broke into a state park ranger's home and stole his uniform, gun and truck, which is equipped with emergency lights and a siren. WSMV-TV reports state troopers were trying to pull over Jerry Rowland Wednesday night near Chapel Hill, about 35 miles south of Nashville, when Rowland crashed into a guardrail and ran into the woods. Henry Horton State Park Ranger Shane Petty says Rowland broke intoanother ranger's home and then his own, taking the uniform, gun and truck.

Authorities are asking residents to call police if they see a park ranger driving outside of a state park or acting suspiciously.

Note to self: Lock up gun and truck keys when out berry-picking.

Pot falls from the sky in North Cascades NP

Be careful as you hike through the remote wilderness of North Cascades National Park or you could be flattened by half a ton of marijauna falling from the sky!

Apparently, the United States has import restrictions on Canada's most lucrative crop, so hemp horticulturists are forced to fly their harvests over the border and drop them in remote locations.

Airborne smugglers link B.C. pot growers and U.S. distributors (The Seattle Times)

About two years ago, hikers, fishermen and park rangers began
complaining of mysterious helicopters zooming through the still bliss
of the North Cascades forests.

Then the choppers started landing amid campsites.

The flights were not so mysterious, according to federal agents. The
helicopters were stuffed with hundreds of pounds of potent Canadian
marijuana destined for the lucrative market along the Interstate 5
corridor.

U.S. and Canadian law-enforcement officials Thursday revealed the
existence of a large-scale airborne smuggling scheme on the northern
border. They have intercepted four tons of pot, 800 pounds of cocaine
and $1.5 million in cash, and at least 46 people have been arrested in
the United States and Canada.