BCSO is now offering a more detailed online Jail Roster. The new roster includes charges, mugshots, and more. Check it out at: butler.miamivalleyjails.org/
The Sheriff’s Office now has the ability to sell dog licenses to Butler County residents. Hopefully, this will benefit those needing dog licenses by combining their errands. For example, if you have business at the Sheriff’s Office, you can call ahead and leave your information and our Animal Control Officer will contact you and work out a time to pick up your license while conducting your business at the Sheriff’s Office.
This is just one more service that you may be able to take advantage of. Please visit this web page for all the specific details.
Several days ago, I sent President-Elect Obama a letter asking him to give consideration when addressing the growing number of serious crimes that are occuring in America due to the weak, and in many areas, non-existant security of our countrys borders. The following is the content of the letter:
The Honorable President-Elect Obama:
Congratulations on your successful campaign for President of the United States of America.
This letter is in regard to illegal immigration, illegal drugs and violence. The past eight years have seen an increase in drugs coming from Mexico to the United States. The violence on the Mexico – United States border has increased to the point of United States citizens being kidnapped, taken into Mexico and held for ransom.
The drugs coming from Mexico to the United States is out of control and it appears we have no policy to control any of these serious problems. I believe they need to be addressed by the new President.
Sir, I realize you have a great number of issues to address as you take office. Please give consideration when addressing the issues I have mentioned. Hopefully the members of Congress, Senate and Representatives can come up with a policy that will save this country from the mire before the conditions get worse.
We all know that it will take compromises from all sides. When planning policy for these issues, please consider the needs of the front line law enforcement agencies, jails and prison systems.
Again, congratulations on your election to the Office of President of the United States of America. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard. K. Jones
Sheriff- Butler County, Ohio
Here are a few articles regarding the Sheriff’s response to the windstorm.
Winds claim Butler sheriff’s cruiser
Sheriff: ‘A lot of progress has been made’
This morning I announced a new program being implemented in the Butler County Jail named ‘Project F.I.D.O.’ (Free Inmate Dog Obedience) This project is being launched in a cooperative effort with the Butler County Animal Friends Humane Society, and its director Leland Gordon. In this program, selected jail prisoners will be housing dogs inside their jail cells, and will provide basic forms of dog obedience training. While this sort of program has been used in federal prisons, Bob Cornwell of the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association, said this is the first such program to be conducted within a local, county jail in Ohio.
The first canine participant in the program named ‘Fonzie’ is an approximate one-year-old previously abused dog being housed at the Animal Shelter and . Fonzie was transferred from the shelter to the jail where he will live in a cell with a prisoner who will be responsible to train him in basic commands (sit, stay, lay down, etc). The training is expected to help make Fonzie more adoptable. Melvin Shidler, a recognized local dog trainer, will work with the prisoner, helping the prisoner learn how to train the dog.
I believe this is a “win-win” for everybody involved. The Animal Shelter benefits by getting some basic dog obedience training for free and the dog benefits by becoming more adoptable! Additionally, there are not just ‘therapeutic’ benefits for the prisoner, but the prisoner can also learn and develop animal-handling skill or basic animal treatment respect that can be utilized upon release from jail. I believe this program has a lot of potential. We’re going to start with one dog, but I hope to expand it to a few more, in the future. I’m glad to have it in my jail.
I am pleased to announce the preliminary results of a recent multi-month undercover investigation titled Operation: “CAST” which stands for Criminal Auto Sales and Titles. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office had received information that local car dealerships were selling vehicles to illegal aliens and knowingly processing the vehicle titles and registrations under fictitious names with the State of Ohio and Butler County.
I sent undercover officers into the dealership and on their very first attempt, my undercover officers were sold fake identification cards. The dealership then used the new fake ID to facilitate the sale of vehicles. Subsequently the dealership proceeded to process the title and registration under this known fake identification. After further investigation, it was reveal that the social security number provided actually belonged to someone else!
Over the next several months, the undercover Officers were able to make several similar transactions. The Social Security Administration and the State of Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles was brought into to assist in this investigation. The BMV was able to identify about 30 similar transactions from these dealerships in a two month period.
At one point during this investigation, undercover officers were contacted by one of the suspects who oddly enough identified himself as a ‘Detective with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office’. The suspect was trying to coerce undercover officers into making additional payments and had no idea he was actually dealing with real undercover officers from the Sheriff’s Office!
Search warrants were executed at three local car dealerships and nine individuals are expected to be arrested and charged on 34 indictments ranging from tampering with records to impersonating a law enforcement officer. The owners of the dealerships are included in those arrested. I will be working with local ICE officials regarding several of the suspects who have been identified as illegal aliens.
The vehicles purchased by undercover officers in this investigation were not in very good condition and were obviously overpriced which indicated to undercover officers that the dealerships were looking for huge profits from the illegal transactions. The dealerships also allowed one employee, an illegal alien, to change his name, date of birth, and social security number. That employee purchased the information of a real person so he could become a certified sales person through the BMV.
The investigation also found that individual had been arrested under 4 different names and 2 different social security numbers. In addition, the dealerships would pose as detectives with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to force payments. Investigators believe this ploy was used to intimidate illegal aliens because of my stance on illegal immigration.
I would like to express a special thanks to Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper and members of his office, John Schubenski of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and Officials from the Social Security Administration, who assisted with the investigations. The coordination and cooperation with these individuals and departments played an essential role in the operation.
You can view the press conference by clicking HERE.