EX-SHERIFF CANDIDATE PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO EXTORTION COUNTS

ATLANTA - The former Forsyth County sheriff's candidate who was
arrested for allegedly taking $15,000 from undercover FBI informants
for promises of special treatment if elected pleaded not guilty
Wednesday in federal court to three counts of extortion.

A trial date was not set for Gary Allen Beebe, 42, of Cumming.

Beebe was arrested last week, just a week before Tuesday's primary
elections for promising contracts and other privileges in exchange for
payments if he was elected Forsyth County Sheriff, according to an FBI
affidavit.

He continued to campaign for the post, but lost to incumbent Sheriff
Ted Paxton in Tuesday's Republican primary by a 10-to-1 margin. With
all precincts reporting, the vote was 15,522 for Paxton and 1,505 for
Beebe. With no Democrats running, Paxton will be unopposed in
November's general election.

Beebe and his attorney declined to comment after the arraignment.

The former candidate is free on a $15,000 bond, which was set last
week. U.S. Magistrate Linda T. Walker reminded him to abide by the
conditions of his release.

The indictment, which was unsealed Wednesday, alleges that Beebe
received $6,000 on both July 6 and 7 through extortion from an
unidentified informant and an additional $3,000 from the same person
on July 8.

The indictment also said the combined value of the payments made to
Beebe and the benefit that would have been received for the payments
was more than $120,000 and that the payments were made for the purpose
of influencing an elected official.

Beebe was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, assistant U.S.
attorney Robert McBurney said.

A FBI affidavit released last week said that Beebe told an informant
he would grant permission to rob known drug dealers in Forsyth County
that have eluded police.

When the informant asked Beebe if he could "put a cap" in a person who
he felt had wronged him, Beebe responded that it would be an "unsolved
murder," FBI Special Agent Mark Sewell stated in the court document,
adding that the informant gave Beebe $3,000 during that meeting.

According to the affidavit, Beebe's other promises to the informants
included guaranteeing the rights to towing services for the sheriff's
office and bonding services for the county jail; using his influence
with the county commission to help establish adult-entertainment
businesses in Forsyth County; and promising kickbacks from the
insurance company for the sheriff's office.