A man who had dreams of becoming a state legislator became a felon instead when his house of cards came tumbling down after he wrote hot checks for campaign signs and then tried stealing from his former boss.
The former candidate, Kristopher Gore, 26, entered guilty pleas to charges of passing worthless checks, attempt to pass worthless checks, forgery and identity theft. He was given a total of five years on probation and must make $875 restitution. He will also be required to perform 40 hours public service work.
He has asked that he be allowed a judicial diversion. That means, if it is granted, he can move to have his criminal record erased once his probation is over. Judge Stanley has a conflict with one of the witnesses in the question for judicial diversion so he recused himself during the sentencing hearing Wednesday. A new judge will be picked to decide if Gore qualifies for a diversion. That hearing will be held at a later date.
Gore was seeking the Democratic nomination for the office of 43rd District State Representative, a race eventually won by current Representative Kevin Dunlap, when he passed worthless checks to Custom Vinyl for campaign signs. Just prior to passing the worthless checks, Gore had claimed to have collected $51,000 in contributions. It has never been revealed if he actually collected that much money or if he lied on his report to the state to intimidate his competition.
Gore not only wrote hot checks for campaign signs but also made a contribution to Meals on Wheels which also turned out to be a worthless check. He would later write a hot check to Collins River BBQ for a fundraising dinner.
Along with his hot check spree, prosecutors say Gore tried to rip off his former employer, State Representative Mark Windle. Investigators say Gore used stolen information taken for Windle to try to get credit to purchase a truck at Edd Rogers – the place where Gore worked at the time. His attempt at identity theft was thwarted by the special crimes unit of Homeland Security.
Gore suspended his campaign in light of the allegations but technically remained in the race through the Democratic Primary. He ended up garnering only a few votes and finished distant from Dunlap.
A local caterer who lied to the state to get food stamp assistance will serve no jail time but will be liable to pay back the money.
The woman, Joy Elaine Tubb, entered guilty pleas before Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to three counts of fraudulent receipt of food assistance. She was granted a four-year judicial diversion as part of her plea bargain. The diversion means she will be on probation for four year but at the end of that term, so long as she gets into no more trouble and goes by the rules of her probation, she can have her criminal record erased.
In addition to the diversion, Tubb was ordered to pay back the $19,682 she stole from the state by making her fraudulent claims on her application for food stamps. She will also have to perform 50 hours public service work and has been prohibited from applying for food stamp assistance for six years.
Tubb entered pleas to three of the 12 felony counts that were against her. The remaining counts were dismissed as part of the deal. Her probation will be dependent on her paying back the money and performing her public service work.
Tubb was charged after the Department of Human Services uncovered the fraud she had been perpetrating for four years, beginning in 2010 and continuing until 2013.
“She did knowingly obtain by means of willfully false statement, temporary assistance for a dependent child by either check or electronic benefits,” said DHS Agent James Barry.
The false statement was actually an omission on her application for benefits. She did not include her husband’s income in her paperwork. The omission of his income allowed her to drop below the poverty line that is required to get food stamps. It is not known whether the food stamps were used for family or if she also used them to help provide for her catering business. She had no comment about the case against her.
The amounts taken over the four-year cycle varied; however, at the end of the case the state has held her liable for repayment of the nearly $20,000 total.