Subject: Tim Johnson (Politician)

• Bribery Time In Sleepy Ol' Hempstead

  Ahh, it’s nice to see that small-town corruption is alive and well. And only an hour’s drive from Houston, no less. It appears as though a pair of city officials in the Waller County ‘burg of Hempstead, the self-proclaimed “City of Character,” have gone and gotten themselves arrested for allegedly taking good ol’ fashioned bribes and kickbacks from local contractors in exchange for coveted city contracts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. It feels like a cozy camp-fi

  November 14, 2008

• Now We Know Why Wal-Mart Has That Smiley Face

  The U.S. Attorney's office has just announced the break-up of a major drug operation. It was run by Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, so you know it was convenient and cheap.Wal-Mart Stores paid the Southern District of Texas a $637,000 fine in order to close cases involving Wal-Mart Pharmacy and Sam's Club employees who didn't quite keep the most accurate records on controlled substances in their posession.Says the U.S. Attorney's office: The accountability audits did not match the drugs on hand reveal

  January 7, 2009

• The Tango Blast Houstone Gang Takes A Hit

  Local and federal agents in an anti-gang task force charged with waging the much-debated "War on Drugs" have nabbed another round of bad guys, this time more than a dozen members of Texas' largest prison gang, Tango Blast Houstone. Acting Houston U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson announced today that 14 members of the highly-decentralized yet populous Houstone gang have been indicted on five counts related to the possession and distribution of marijuana and cocaine. The indictments are the result of the

  January 21, 2009

• Static

  April 2, 1998

• He's A Bribe-Taker And A Giver Of Knowledge

  One thing you can say about city officials in Hempstead, the sleepy town 50 miles west of here in Waller County -- they know how to rip off their taxpayers. And they like to share that knowledge, the gift of their experience, in a clear, concise style. Former Hempstead Mayor Pro-Tem Larry Wilson and City Alderman Paris Kincade pleaded guilty this week to accepting bribes and committing fraud in connection with their constiuent work with a compnay seeking demolition contracts.Wilson accepted a $1

  February 27, 2009

• Methodist Hospital Gets Hit For Medicaid Fraud

  Seal courtesy DOJUsually when the Justice Department announces the settlement of a Medicaid-fraud case, it's a small-time operation dealing with wheelchairs or even adult diapers.Not today.Today they've nabbed a nearly-$10 million settlement out of Methodist Hospital here for defrauding the federal program.The US Attorney's office announcement said: The government alleged that, between January 2001 and August 2003, Methodist improperly inflated charges for inpatient and outpatient care to make i

  March 26, 2009

• Connect the Dots

  Art can be both "aboriginal" and "contemporary"

  July 1, 2004

• Survivors

  What does it take not to be left behind?

  May 27, 2004

• Rapper Willie D Arrested Over Alleged iPhone Scam

  Rapper Willie D has been arrested and charged with wire fraud, US Attorney Tim Johnson has announced.William James Dennis, as he's more formally known, was arrested last night at Bush Intercontinental after an indictment was unsealed charging him in connection "with his purported sales of iPhones through a company known as Texas One Wireless," Johnson said.Here are the details:According to allegations in the criminal complaint, beginning in September 2008, Dennis, posing as an electronics salesm

  May 14, 2009

• The Indictment Comes Down For Willie D

  We noted yesterday that Houston's own Willie D had finally gotten out of jail, bonding out under an agreement that limited his travel and internet use.If that was considered good news for the Geto Boys rapper, today brought more bad news -- he has been formally indicted on the iPhone scam charges that led to his arrest in May as he stepped off a plane at Bush Intercontinental.US Attorney Tim Johnson announced the 15-count indictment of Williams James Dennis today. Willie D faces up to 20 years i

  June 9, 2009

• Houston Is Epicenter Of Big Medicare-Fraud Sweep

  ​Houston is at the center of a big sweep against Medicare fraud announced today by the feds. A grand jury here issued indictments involving more than $16 million in fraud, and agents went out today and arrested 32 people in Houston, New York, Boston and Louisiana.Sayeth the feds: The Strike Force operations in Houston have identified the primary fraud schemes as those related to false billing for "arthritis kits," power wheelchairs and enteral feeding supplies.According to the indictments, the

  July 29, 2009

• Ripping Off FEMA And Oprah: Not A Good Idea

  ​It's one thing to defraud FEMA in the wake of a hurricane. It's another to mess with Oprah.That's the sad, heavy lesson learned by four people named in indictments unsealed this morning by the U.S. Attorney's office. They're charged with, as the feds put it, "wrongfully obtaining rental assistance from FEMA after having purchased new, fully-furnished homes that were financed by Oprah Winfrey's 'Oprah's Angel Network.'" (Hey, nice plug and product-placement for the Big O.)Darlene McGruder Pool

  August 19, 2009

• Big Prostitution Ring Busted In Houston

  ​Four years ago, Ronnie Presley jammed a gun in the face of a teen-aged girl walking down the street in Kansas, pulled her into his car and drove her to Houston. There, he forced her to have sex for money. Every dime she earned went into Presley's pocket. As time went by, Presley threatened to hurt the girl's family if she ever told on him, he abused and beat the girl, and then tried to sell her to another pimp. For that teen-aged girl, the nightmare is finally over. At least according to th

  August 25, 2009