FORMER SHERIFF'S 'FLOWER FUND' QUESTIONED

SHELBY - If video poker forfeiture money was deposited into the special
account of former Sheriff Dan Crawford - an account which is under
investigation by the FBI - "there has been a violation of state statutes,"
according to an expert in local government finance.

Jack Vogt, a specialist in local government finance with the Institute of
Government, said that a special account in the sheriff's office should have
been governed by a board, bylaws, officers and other controls.

"It sounds like nothing like that is in place," Vogt said. "Therefore, this
is unusual at best, the controls are inadequate and it falls far short
under internal control principles for handling money."

Crawford is under investigation by the FBI in connection with an account he
calls a "flower fund."

More than $70,000 moved through the account over a five-year period, and it
contained $5,961.25 in forfeited money from illegal video poker machines
and a drug case. Much of the money went to purchases of flowers and
donations to other charities, such as $500 to the Cleveland-Rutherford
Kidney Association on April 10, 2001. Other money went to magazine
subscriptions and other items, such as a $100 check written to Ducks
Unlimited on Feb. 19, 1999.

Attorney Rob Deaton, who is Crawford's legal adviser, confirmed that he
knew of no bylaws, officers or board members governing the account. Deaton
said he agrees that, "you cannot intentionally deposit forfeiture money in
an account like that."

Vogt said that, under state law, the sheriff may have a bank account for
official money, only if authorized by the county commissioners.

County Manager Lane Alexander said county commissioners made no such
authorization.

Deaton disagreed with Vogt's interpretation.

"The sheriff is a constitutional office, and I don't know whether the
county has any authority over the sheriff with respect to saying, 'you've
got to bring any money you raised to commissioners,'" Deaton said. "I'm not
really sure that's the law."

District Attorney Bill Young said Monday that the FBI has not contacted him
about its investigation. He declined to comment on possible investigations
at the state level.

Meanwhile, further examination of records obtained by The Star show that in
1997 checks were written to two state legislators off the account.

On Oct. 10, 1997, a check for $100 was written to then N.C. Rep. Andy
Dedmon, according to a check ledger.

Dedmon said he doesn't remember receiving a check from Crawford's account.
He said the only time he remembered Crawford giving him any money was a
$100 campaign contribution in 1994, which came from a personal check.

On Nov. 21, 1997, the ledger shows a $50 check was written to "Senator
Walter Dalton." In addition, an Aug. 25, 1997, a check for $110 was listed
as being written to "DARE." On the line below was the term "golf tour." And
a notation at the side said "Sen. Walter Dalton."

Dalton said, to the best of his recollection, he did not cash the $50 check
and that the $110 was for a golf tournament in which he was invited to
play. He said he "had no idea" it came from an account that was set up to
benefit the sheriff's office.

Dalton said he didn't cash the $50 check because "Dan was an elected
official, and when I invite elected officials to fund-raisers I give them a
complimentary pass."

Don Wright, general counsel to the State Board of Elections, said that he
could not say whether the checks were political contributions. "But the
nature of the check being from a special account, it would cause one to ask
a few questions about the purpose," he said.

Wright added that the state board has had no complaints filed on the matter.

Also Monday, former Sheriff's Capt. Billy Benton defended his actions
related to $5,961.25 in video poker and drug forfeiture money that was
deposited into the account.

"I felt uncomfortable about that transaction, so I put my initial on that
bank deposit slip just like I would any other piece of evidence and I put
it back in the evidentiary file in the evidence vault," said Benton.

Deaton said that any implication Benton did something wrong is "incorrect."

The video poker money "was deposited into the special fund account at the
authorization of Sheriff Crawford," Deaton said. "It was inadvertently
deposited into that account, but Capt. Benton followed orders. The sheriff
takes responsibility for whatever happened."

Benton also denied any wrongdoing regarding a $5,000 check written on Aug.
29, 2000.

"To ensure to people that I didn't do anything wrong or anybody else in
that administration below Crawford, I raised objections to Mr. Deaton and
he said he would clarify what happened," Benton said.

Deaton told The Star "the $5,000 check for drug money issued to Benton -
this was something that was routine. 'Flash money,' it's called. They flash
a wad of money to lure a seller of illegal drugs.

"My information from former Sheriff Crawford is that this occurred late one
Friday afternoon when there was a drug deal going down."

A review of the 2000 calendar reveals that Aug. 29 fell on a Tuesday.

Deaton said that on Sept. 5, 2000, a $5,000 deposit was made in that same
account. Deaton said the deposit is shown on a bank statement in the
possession of Crawford, although he declined to share those records with
The Star.

In the days following the withdrawal of the "flash money," there is no
deposit of $5,000 recorded on the check ledger obtained by The Star.