CAUGHT ON TAPE: 'GOT ANY CAMERAS IN HERE?'

FBI Charges Forsyth Sheriff Candidate With Offering To Sell Political Favors

The candidate for Forsyth County sheriff speaks with the confidence of
an incumbent. "I have complete control over the wrecker companies,"
Gary Allen Beebe tells an FBI informant during a conversation captured
with a hidden microphone. "Nothing gets done without my signature as
sheriff." Then, as if remembering that he hasn't been elected yet:
"When I take office, three of them are gone."

Beebe, 43, is the only candidate opposing Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton
in Tuesday's primary. But Beebe may have bigger worries than who gets more
votes on Election Day: FBI agents arrested him Tuesday on charges that he
promised --- if elected --- to sell contracts and political favors,
including looking the other way if those buying his favors needed to commit
a crime.

He was released from jail Wednesday afternoon on $15,000 bond.
At various times from last September until early this month, Beebe promised
contracts for towing, bail bonding business at the Forsyth County Jail,
operation of the DUI school and "permission to rob known drug dealers in
Forsyth County that have eluded law enforcement without threat of
prosecution," according to a complaint filed by federal agents.

The U.S. attorney's office made the criminal complaint public Wednesday. The
government released CD and DVD copies of nearly two hours of audio and video
recordings of Beebe's conversations with informants. The U.S. attorney's
office also distributed a news release but made no further comment.
During one taped conversation, an informant asks Beebe what would happen if
he "put a cap" in a person who had wronged him. Beebe responds that the
incident would be treated as "an unsolved murder," according to the federal
complaint.

In another meeting, Beebe explains how he would be in a position to offer
business after the election.

"Bonding companies," he says. "There's two I'm going after. So, if you
want to start business opportunities there, I don't have a problem
with that. The only problem with that is your name --- I don't care
how you do it --- cannot be tied back to me.

"Because I'm not going to be there for four years. I'm going to be
there for 16 years. I'm going to be there a long time as sheriff. Once
I get in, I'm not leaving."

Informant: "We could do it through a corporation. If you're telling us we
can get them, we'll find a way."

Beebe: ". . . I'll do it regardless [of] how much money you give me. . . .
It's nothing more than the stroke of a pen."

In a videotaped meeting, Beebe is wearing a white T-shirt and is in a
nondescript room with a desk and telephone. The mood seems jovial and
easy. The FBI informant slides a stash of cash to Beebe and tells him
to count it. Beebe smiles, looks around and says, "OK. Got any cameras
in here?" The informant responds: "Oh yeah, I got 'em all over the
property. Don't worry about it. Should be six [thousand dollars].
They're all counterfeit." The men laugh.

"Six, very good," Beebe says after counting the stack of bills. The
informant asks how much he needs the next day.

"Another six would be great," Beebe responds. The government used
three undercover informants. The FBI described one as an owner of
adult entertainment establishments in Forsyth and Fulton counties who
had "proved reliable" in several previous government investigations.
Beebe had worked for the informant in a different type of business in
Forsyth County. The informant had contributed more than $10,000 to
Beebe's campaign, the FBI said.

Another informant also worked in adult entertainment businesses and
had given Beebe a used Jeep Cherokee as a campaign contribution. The
third informant was identified as a lawyer for the first informant.
Paxton, who is in his first four-year term, expressed shock Wednesday
when he heard the charges against Beebe.

"Are you kidding me? My gosh. I knew he was a person of questionable
background, but I had no idea he'd stoop to that level," Paxton said.
The allegations stand in sharp contrast to information on Beebe's
campaign Web site, where he has posted a "Code of Ethics." He offers
this pledge: "I shall not use the Office of Sheriff for private or
personal gain." Beebe is a former Forsyth County Sheriff's Department
employee with 15 years of law enforcement experience, including stints
in Brunswick, Jasper, Palmetto and Coweta County.

Last month, Beebe complained in an interview that the campaign was
turning "nasty." Most of his campaign signs had disappeared, he said.
"I was so naive as to think it was going to be on the issues," he
said. Paxton, whose office enforces the sign ordinance, said any
campaign sign that was not in compliance with the law would be
removed. On one recording made by federal investigators, Beebe calls
Paxton "arrogant and pompous" but says the election is "like a jury,
you just don't know how it's going to go."

Beebe's name will remain on Tuesday's ballot, said Gary Smith,
chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Elections.

A person is prohibited from holding public office if convicted of a
felony involving "moral turpitude," but "at this point in time, it's
just an accusation," Smith said.

He said Forsyth County was abuzz with news of the arrest. "Everybody's
talking about it. It's amazing that someone running for public office
would do something so stupid."

The public defender assigned to Beebe did not return calls. A woman
who answered the phone at the number listed on Beebe's campaign Web
site declined to give her name but described herself as a friend of
the family. Asked what she thought of his arrest, she responded: "You
mean the entrapment case?"

She declined to comment further. "When we have our story, we'll
contact you," she said.

Staff writer Marcia Langhenry contributed to this article.