Canyon

AG Needs Permanent Canyon Corruption Office

Idaho’s Attorney General seems to have enough criminal business among Canyon County staffers to open a branch office in Caldwell. A “clean sweep” revealed problems even with the janitor.

Our recent memory includes the former prosecutor embezzlement case, another former prosecutor’s son with kiddie porn, a pair of DMV clerks making off with nearly three quarters of a million dollars, a sheriff’s posse clerk charged with embezzlement, and today a former maintenance super plea bargains counts of “false accounts” for work he never did.

Each time we learn of another crook in 2/C government it begs three questions:
–Is Canyon more corrupt than other counties?
–Do they have better auditing and investigation techniques to catch bad guys (and gals)?
–Are the workers just dumb crooks and get caught easier?

According to the AG, Former Canyon County maintenance superintendant Andrew Eveland pleaded guilty today to four counts of presentation of false accounts, a felony under Idaho Code § 18-2706, and one count of grand theft, also a felony under Idaho Code §§ 18-2403(1) and 18-2407(1)(b)(8), Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. Eveland entered his pleas during a hearing before Third District Judge Susan Wiebe in Canyon County.

The Canyon County grand jury returned an indictment on December 7, 2011, charging Eveland with 40 counts of presentation of false accounts and one count of grand theft. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the state dismissed the remaining counts.

The indictment issued by the grand jury alleges that Eveland submitted false invoices and claims to the Canyon County Commissioners for cleaning services that were never rendered at the Canyon County Juvenile Detention Center. It also alleged that Eveland wrongfully appropriated various items of county property to his own use.

The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit investigated and prosecuted the case at the request of the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney, because it involved allegations of criminal misconduct by a former county employee.

Judge Wiebe ordered a pre-sentence report and set a sentencing hearing for June 28, 2012.

Comments & Discussion

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  1. I tend to think a lot of the getting caught is the fact we are a small county and a secret or bad behavior is hard to swept under the rug. The level of bad behavior is probably the same but the odds of getting caught are higher in a smaller community.

    I know a number of people who have moved to Ada/Boise and think their new found anonymity is great. They can go just about everywhere an nobody knows them. The seem to enjoy this new freedom to not have to engage in conversation at local businesses. I actually moved from a large densely populated place to where I live now. I like knowing my neighbors and community and the people in my community.

  2. I wonder about the people who have had to be “punished” by these leaders of 2C, do they get to have their cases re-examined? do those who have been found “guilty” under the prosecution of John Bujak receive leniency due to lack of moral standing of the prosecution? (just a thought)

  3. As always “trust and verify” It would seem a bit more verification is needed.

  4. At least you have a prosecutor who will request the AG to come in. Our Kootenai County prosecutor’s philosophy seems to be sit tight, shuffle, and shut up.

  5. Canyon County is the most Republican county in Idaho. Fatherland of the Idaho Freedom Foundation. If no one looks over your shoulder or questions your authority/power, you can soon expect a government like Egypt or any other dictatorship.

  6. Interested Citizen
    Apr 17, 2012, 5:48 am

    If the higher ups in law enforcement are doing their jobs, including Idaho Attorney General Wasden, there will be other indictments brought in the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and other official offices in Canyon County and Nampa.

    It is obvious that the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (including after Bujak) has much to hide. This is the reason that both the plaintiff and the defendant Bujak are desperately trying to reach a deal in mediation, which is not open to the public, and for other reasons. This way, Bujak will be able to bargain and plea his way into a better deal, because there are many others in the prosecutor’s office and other official offices who are culpable, and they know it.

  7. and yet, they continue to destroy countless lives of the citizens who pay for all this… justice, or malpractice? This is why I say that everyone who was convicted in that county over the past three years receive immunity.

  8. you’re right…but th cops arent going to police the prosecutors office…. one hand of the big blue brotherhood doesnt bite the other….

  9. Problem is, it’s a big CYA club in the GOP.

  10. As a citizen, is there anyway (other than voting, as the term limit votes showed us voting doesn’t matter in this state) to get these people punished, to regain the freedom of anyone who has been tortured by these blatant corrupted politicians? is there anything that can be done to eradicate the world of these people and their ilk? why is it that we know what is right, we know the difference between justice and injustice, yet we continue to allow these people to hurt our fellow Idahoans. This debacle of a government is like a rabid dog, the only way to fix it is to put it down. How do we go about doing this?

  11. Interested Citizen
    Apr 18, 2012, 6:58 am

    Criminal charges can be brought and civil remedies can be obtained for “racketeering” activities, which is the behavior that has gone on in Nampa and Canyon County.

    The civil damages available include treble damages plus attorneys’ fees.

    So, an injured party could bring a civil action against those in Nampa and Canyon County for these injuries, which can include sometimes various personal injuries, injuries to business, injuries to property, etc.

    If someone was prosecuted wrongfully, this may be a route to obtain some substantial relief from Nampa City or Canyon County.

  12. Interested Citizen
    Apr 18, 2012, 7:03 am

    Further, if one looks at the statistics from Nampa and Canyon County prosecutions, it will singe your eyebrows!!

    Prosecutions for misdemeanors alone shot up over 36 percent from 2009 to 2010!! This was the time period that Bujak and his cronies were trying to scam everyone.

    So, looking at the numbers, one may have some very good ground to argue that there were many wrongful prosecutions and wrongful charges brought against innocent defendants.

    Also, there may be grounds for criminal indictments based on various crimes such as violation of civil rights and obstruction of justice.

  13. Interested Citizen
    Apr 18, 2012, 9:16 am

    Further, conspirators, aiders and abettors, those complicit, those who obtained ill-gotten benefits from the scam, etc. are also culpable and may be criminally liable as well as civilly liable. Further, perpetrators such as the above may be required to disgorge benefits, salary, perks, and other spoiled fruit from the scam.

    And, by the way, did not some of the prosecutors in the Nampa office get so-called “salary bumps”, while the scam was going on?

    Also, those who helped to conceal or cover up the scam could be culpable criminally and liable civilly. I just read some of the testimony regarding the coverup attempted by the CCPA regarding the public vs. private debate of the Bujak contract and all. And, Bujak was not the only one involved…………

  14. Note to Interested Citizen…
    I have known the current Prosecuting Attorney for at least 10 years. Not once have I ever seen Mr. Taylor step over the line of doing something wrong or violate a fiduciary responsiblity.

    Here’s the deal for you… lay it out with your name on it and let the wheels of justice grind forward. Let’s see you back up your opinions with some facts please. I am sure the BG would help you expose any wrong doing by Mr. Taylor.

  15. Interested Citizen
    Apr 19, 2012, 9:35 am

    To Paul:

    Make no mistake. Here’s the deal for you: I do not care how long you have known any of those clowns and snakes and the snakes that slither with them. Criminal conduct is criminal conduct, period.

    As for wheels of justice, in due time, in due time. There will be facts, names, dates, and details.

    And, by the way, have you had the stones to actually do any research and investigation of your own?

  16. Interested Citizen
    Apr 19, 2012, 9:50 am

    Paul:

    Just to help you out a bit: You might wish to begin by analyzing the statistics posted on the CCPA website. If that does not raise some serious questions in your mind or others’, well, the cures for lack of insight sometimes do not work very well.

  17. Fascism is alive and well in Idaho, and the people who destroy American lives under the banner of “law” are instigators of this. Taylor, just like Bujak, just like any other state employee who profits off of the suffering imposed by these injustices, are all traitors to this country, they say that they represent the “State” as they ruin the lives of citizens, Well they sure as hell don’t represent me, or any of my friends or family. These people are liars and evil and need to be stopped at any and all costs.
    DOWN WITH FASCISM!!! DOWN WITH IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION!!! DOWN WITH THE IDAHO GOVERNMENT!!!!

  18. Interested Citizen
    Apr 20, 2012, 5:46 am

    The Nampa office of the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney was largely the scene of the crime allegedly committed by Bujak. The alleged crime directly involves the Nampa prosecution contract that Bujak wheedled out of the feckless City of Nampa officials, as well as the Canyon County officials.

    So, it only makes sense to scrutinize the activities of the Nampa prosecution office, its management and supervisors, as well as the deputy prosecutors and other officials and other grunts that were there.

    These included the present Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney. And, the statistics posted on the CCPA website pretty much tell an interesting story, if you just take the time to analyze them. There might appear to be issues of improprieties, misconduct, and criminal behavior, including obstruction of justice, racketeering, criminal violations of civil and constitutional rights, conspiracy to conceal, and other serious issues.

    Stay tuned.

  19. Interested Citizen
    Apr 20, 2012, 6:06 am

    The statements being made by the feckless Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in a failed attempt to rationalize, conceal, and obfuscate the private/public contract dispute and controversy is laughable. I nearly busted a gut reading Samuel Laugheed’s letters and testimony regarding this scam. He looks like a cat covering his poop now, and it really makes me chuckle.

    After all, this silly dispute has now been resolved by the Idaho Supreme Court, which ruled that the contract is clearly a public one. This, after an army of lawyers and other feckless numbskulls attempted to argue that it was a private contract. Hmmmmmmm.

    Is this not attempted concealment? Or perhaps some form of obstruction of justice? It may also comprise a “pattern of racketeering” under both Federal and Idaho racketeering statutes.

  20. Interested Citizen
    Apr 20, 2012, 11:51 am

    I am having an enjoyable time reading the letter from James Martin at Moffat Thomas to Bujak’s Chapter 7 Bankruptcy trustee and Matthew Christensen (posted on KBOI2.com). You just cannot make this stuff up!!

    And, the so-called “salary bumps” for a very substantial amount of the money that went into Bujak’s pocket appears to represent some quite substantial “raises” for a small handful of the prosecutors in the CCPA’s Nampa office.

    It certainly makes a reasonable person wonder: Could these “salary bumps” be a disguised BRIBE to other attorneys and prosecutors or staff in the office to keep their mouths shut as to Bujak’s activities, and perhaps also to prosecute wrongfully and often??

    After all, take a look at the definition of BRIBERY and CORRUPTION in the Idaho Code under Title 18, Chapter 13, 18-352.

    “If the shoe fits, wear it.” Or, “if it looks like a pig, oinks like a pig, and smells like a pig, well……………”

  21. Interested Citizen
    Apr 20, 2012, 1:06 pm

    (Editor note– Un founded allegation deleted)
    Further, when something stinks, there may be something corrupt around.

    I just do not know, yet. But, I am determined to find out.

  22. Interested Citizen
    Apr 20, 2012, 2:59 pm

    In a March 15, 2010 letter to Bob Henry pursuant to Mr. Henry’s public records request, Samuel Laugheed, from the CCPA, wrote, in reference to Bujak’s and others’ scam: “We recognize that the arrangement is innovative, and that it runs counter to the way things are traditionally done. We intend, however, under Mr. Bujak’s direction, to render the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office the state-wide model for efficient, effective, and just prosecution-and that requires no small measure of innovation.”

    Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Do I feel a lot of smoke going up my pantleg out of Laugheed’s mouth?

    I thought attorneys were required to be circumspect, truthful, and analytical? Not??????

  23. so if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, it’s probably a duck!!!

  24. Treasure valley is corrupt
    Apr 22, 2012, 11:46 pm

    It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the corruption in the treasure valley prosecutors offices and law enforcement. It is only a matter of time before their house of cards comes crashing down. They have somehow managed to con the easily conable “knowing” public but God never misses a trick. I can’t wait for the dominos to start to fall.

  25. chicago sam
    Apr 23, 2012, 8:08 pm

    It was actually Mr. Laugheed who in an e-mail suggested to Mr. Bujak that he set up a seperate bank account and not send the money thru the clerk’s office. It is inconceivable that others in Mr. Bujak’s office did not know what was going on. Why aren’t they being held accountable too?

  26. Interested Citizen
    May 1, 2012, 10:26 am

    Yes, many others should be held criminally liable in Nampa, Canyon County, in the police forces, in the judiciary, and in the courts and clerks’ offices, among others.

    There is too much of a “scratch your back” mentality among all of these corrupt law enforcement shills and minions. They are all covering each others’ behinds. And, the Idaho Attorney General, and others who should be investigating all of this suspicious and nefarious activity, do not seem to have any imagination and backbone with regard to these serious and insidious issues.

    EDITOR NOTE–In defense of the AG, the local prosecutor holds the power. The AG can only come in at the request of the county prosecutor.

  27. Interested Citizen
    May 2, 2012, 4:59 am

    To the Editor:

    Yes, your argument may be absolutely correct. But, perhaps it is also inherently wrong!

    Does any reasonable person believe that Bryan Taylor, the present CCPA, will prosecute himself and his cronies? Hmmmmmmm?

    So, what other alternatives are there for justice to be delivered? Again, Bujak is far, far, from the only one culpable in this putrid debacle in Nampa and Canyon County.

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