Friday, June 30, 2006

You can't trust a convict

Ranger MompierreYou 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.

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