MEMORANDUM

TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
CC:

DEKALB COUNTY BOARD OF ETHICS, CHRIS CAMPBELL, SPECIAL AGENT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND
ATLANTA FBI
VIOLA DAVIS
RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS, FBI, GBI AND INSPECTOR GENERAL TO
EXPAND THE INVESTIGATIONS FOR POSSIBLE RICO VIOLATIONS
JANUARY 8, 2015
U.S. ATTORNEY SALLY QUILLIAN YATES, DEKALB INTERIM CEO LEE MAY, DEKALB BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROBERT JAMES, JERALD DALTON, BARBARA SANDERS, RESTORE
DEKALB AND ALL APPROPRIATE PARTIES

Restore Public Trust Memorandum to the

DeKalb County Board of Ethics, FBI, GBI and/or
Inspector General to Expand the Investigations
for Possible RICO Violations
By Viola Davis RN BSN
January 8, 2015
New Ethics Complaint against Sharon Barnes Sutton and Judy Brownlee for Alleged Criminal
Activity, Wrongdoing, and/or Malfeasance. Also, reasons DeKalb County taxpayers and voters
request expansion of the investigation by the FBI, GBI and Inspector General into Purchasing and
Contracting, Public Works, IT and Watershed.

I, Viola Davis, with Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter, submit a new ethics complaint to the
DeKalb County Board of Ethics concerning alleged criminal activity, wrongdoing and/or
malfeasance against Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, District 4 Commissioner
and Judy Brownlee, Commissioner Barnes Suttons Executive Assistant.
Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton has repeatedly claimed that there is no
malfeasance and/or wrongdoing. Sutton proclaimed the real problem is that
commissioners political opponents have filed ethics complaints to smear their names.
Page 1|8

She was quoted in an article written by Mark Niesse with The Atlanta Journal
Constitution 6/28/14 to say:
An ethics complaint is just a complaint. There are people who have done
nothing wrong. We need a way to distinguish between real problems and
propaganda.
As a result of several Open Records Requests, we have documents that prove our
ethics complaints provide evidence of a real problem as well as alleged criminal
activity to include:
1. Our Open Records Requests which provided information on the financial
records of 4th District Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, HSI Systems &
Consultants, RightThink, and Empowerment Planners and Consulting
Group.

2. An Open Records Request was presented as early as March 31, 2010 by Mr.
Jim Walls with Atlanta Unfiltered, requesting financial records regarding all
expenditures of members of the Board of Commissioners.
3. RightThink Associates Inc. has received multiple checks under one
purchase order (PO) number 763125 to include:
a. PO Number 763125 for $4,500.00
b. PO Number 763125 for $2,550.00
c. PO Number 763125 for $3,725.00
d. PO Number 763125 for $20,000.00
i. The total amount for the checks issued under the same PO
Number, 763125, equals $30,775.00
ii. Did Kelvin Walton and other staff members working in the Board of
Commissioners office and Purchasing and Contracting develop a
system to funnel taxpayers money to commissioners for personal
use?
iii. Did Kelvin Walton, Commissioners, staff, and others exercise
outside methods to receive taxpayers money for personal use that
manipulate the PO Numbers and dates to issue multiple checks
under one invoice, contract and/or purchase order?
4. We have located actual copies for three of the checks for PO Number
763123 and two pages under Oracle with requisition number 380590 for the
$20,000.00 check.

Page 2|8

5. We verified the lack of a business license on April 22, 2010 for RightThink
Associates, Inc. A copy of the document is provided for the Board of
Ethics and taxpayers and voters to view.
6. HSI Systems & Consultants received an order for three checks under two
PO Numbers on 12/22/2009 to include:
a. PO Number 763126 for $2,600.00
b. PO Number 763126 for $1,612.50
c. PO Number 763141 for $4,212.50
i. The total amount for the checks issued for order date 12/22/2009
equals $8,425.00
ii. PO Number 763125 for $20,000.00 also has an order date of
12/22/2009. This gives additional evidence of the manipulation of
the PO Numbers and dates in issuing checks.
iii. HSI Systems & Consultants did not have a business license.
iv. One will notice a handwritten note on the documents asking people
to please call Alita at 1-2737 for pick up (p/u).
v. Why did DeKalb County administration allow the Purchasing and
Contracting Department to control the contract process as well as
the issuance of checks without a check and balance process of
making individuals go to a second department such as finance for
payment?
vi. Where was the oversight to make sure there was no manipulation
in the contracting process and payment system?
vii. Do we need a major over haul in policy and procedure to protect
taxpayers money?
viii. Without a doubt, we need a criminal forensic audit of the
Purchasing and Contracting Department.
7. Empowerment Planners and Consulting Group was a company of Judy
Brownlee and the company did not have a business license. The real
problem with this company involves the fact that Judy Brownlee received
payment as a consultant while employed as an employee of Commissioner
Sharon Barnes Sutton and DeKalb County. We view such a process as a
Conflict of Interest.
We have spent over four years gathering documentation to expose these violations of
policy and procedure as well as alleged criminal activity. The primary method to verify
our allegations is to expand the FBI, GBI, and Inspector General investigations to
include a criminal third party forensic audit into four departments to include:
1. Purchasing and Contracting
2. Public Works
3. IT and IS
Page 3|8

4. Watershed
As a watchdog group, we have focused on protecting the taxpayers money to ensure
transparency, ethics and accountability. We strive to motivate the Board of
Commissioners and the Interim CEO of DeKalb County to write and enforce executive
policies and procedures that protect taxpayers money from mismanagement, waste,
abuse and alleged criminal activity. Our actions over the years have focused on our
mission pledged to the taxpayers and voters of DeKalb County, Georgia.
With the support of Restore DeKalb, we presented evidence of the following in prior
complaints:

Restore Public Trust Ethics Complaint, Amendment I, provided evidence and

testimony of sworn statements by both Kelvin Walton and Nina Hall of lying to a
special grand jury, taking money and/or service for personal gain, and engaging
in alleged public corruption in purchasing and contracting within a DeKalb
County government department.
We submitted over 420 pages of written documentation to justify Kelvin Walton
and Nina Halls removal from the taxpayers and voters payroll.

It's time for us to come to the reality that this local government has been in a crisis for
far too long. As a watchdog group, we have complained for years about a cloud of
corruption that gives DeKalb County a bad reputation as well as a black eye hindering
economic development and decreasing public trust.
We are requesting a full criminal third party forensic audit to expose the "true"
financial picture, shortfalls, and alleged criminal activity within the Watershed,
Public Works Department, IT and Purchasing and Contracting Department. We
need an answer to the question, "Is there criminal activity that should be prosecuted"?
We have written prior complaints requesting a full criminal investigation by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Inspector General (under RICO) into alleged
criminal activity to include:

I.

Hopie Stricklands complaint to the Inspector General:

Bid-rigging (See Exhibit A)

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242749171/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-Exhibit-A-Bid-rigging-and-or-ContractSplitting?secret_password=VzdkrRvTkxBBqv56Ebt0

False Documentation (evidenced of fraudulent checks See Exhibit B, Part 1,

Part 2, and Part 3)
Part 1:
Page 4|8

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242319513/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-False-Documentation-Evidenced-By-Fraudulent-Check-Exhibit-BPart-1?secret_password=A0MVACzh8Jbeq09KIcwT
Part 2:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/242318405/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-False-Documentation-Evidenced-by-Fraudulent-Checks-Exhibit-BPart-2?secret_password=xTjjBi4f74LlrinhPzwN
Part 3:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/242320146/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-False-Documentation-Evidenced-By-Fraudulent-Checks-Exhibit-BPart-3?secret_password=ieeF2d6iEJMypQEGpp1t

Violation of the False Claims Act - (See Exhibit C)

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242750407/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-Exhibit-C-D-E-and-F?secret_password=Es5GX59EJUy1wVKrzELZ

Fraud - (See Exhibit D)

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242750407/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-Exhibit-C-D-E-and-F?secret_password=Es5GX59EJUy1wVKrzELZ

Kickback, Up-Charging and over-billing - (See Exhibit E)

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242750407/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-Exhibit-C-D-E-and-F?secret_password=Es5GX59EJUy1wVKrzELZ

Tax Fraud - (See Exhibit F)

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242750407/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-Exhibit-C-D-E-and-F?secret_password=Es5GX59EJUy1wVKrzELZ

II.

Complaints from Vendors/Contractors alleging criminal

activity:

Page 5|8

A majority of the documentation above involves a vendor named, Hopie Strickland.

DeKalb County staff members were present and/or involved during a majority of the
meetings detailing complaints of alleged criminal activity.
However, through documents received as a result of an Open Records Request, we
have identified additional vendors and complaints alleging violation of policy and
procedure, violation of the LSBE Ordinance and alleged criminal activity to include:
1. R. Harris requested assistance from Purchasing and Contracting:
a. Complaint of Pass through
b. Disagreement with practice of co-signing checks to another company
c. Complaint of fraud
2. M. Mikells letter to Purchasing and Contracting:
a. In March 2010, the DeKalb County Auditor questioned Mikell concerning
payments
b. Felton Williams and Sharon Walker were contacted by M. Mikell; however,
no follow up on concerns
c. Complaint of fraudulent acts
d. Complaint of major cover up by DeKalb County staff
e. Requests and concerns have fallen on deaf ears
f. Complaint of unethical behavior and alleged fraudulent schemes/tactics
3. Email from A. Jones to Park and Recreation Department/ Purchasing and
Contracting:
a. Complaint of alleged illegal activity involving single bid process
b. Purchasing Department and Parks and Recreation Department set out to
target a specific entity which is illegal in itself
c. Complaint that the business did not exist at the time of the RFP

III.

The 2012 Special Purpose Grand Jury strongly recommended

the District Attorney criminally investigate over 10 people in
addition to Burrell Ellis:

A Special Purpose Grand Jury was impaneled on January 20, 2012 pursuant to
O.C.G.A 15-12-100 to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the bidding,
awarding and management of contracts in the DeKalb County Department of
Watershed Management during the period of January 1, 2002 through December 31,
2010.
The special grand jurys final report and presentment of its yearlong investigation into
alleged corruption in county watershed department, stemming back to the beginning of
former CEO Vernon Jones administration, strongly recommended the District Attorney
Page 6|8

criminally investigate the following individuals for possible indictment in addition to

Burrell Ellis to include:
A. William Wiz Miller Obstructing a criminal investigation.
B. Jabari Simama - Manipulation of selection committee process, perjury and bidrigging.
C. Roy Barnes Bid-rigging, kickbacks and perjury.
D. Hadi Haeri Theft, false writings, perjury and bid-rigging.
E. Nadine Maghsoudlou Theft, false writing, perjury and bid-rigging.
F. Vernon Jones Bid-rigging and theft.
G. Paul Champion Manipulation of the ITB process, false writings, theft and
perjury.
H. Kevin Ross Interference with government operations, manipulation of the
RFP/ITB process and bid-rigging.
I. Jeffrey Walker Theft, bid-rigging and perjury.
J. Christian Vann False writings
K. John Willis and possibly, other individuals with Brown and Caldwell theft, bidrigging and perjury.
We need the FBI, GBI and/or Inspector General to expand their investigation to include
the people mentioned in the special grand jury report if District Attorney Robert James
continues to place his focus on Burrell Ellis instead of the eleven people recommended
for investigation and possible indictment.

IV.

It is alleged that a Commissioners personal property was

repaired with taxpayers money:

We were approached by several people alleging a DeKalb County

Commissioners personal property was repaired with taxpayers money. Upon
receiving the complaint, we submitted an Open Records Request to obtain
documentation to support the complaint. We spent over two weeks trying to get
our Open Records Request answered. However, we would often experience
excuses and one mistake after another that limited the information we received.
Due to the number of mistakes (intentional or unintentional), we have reason to
believe there is some validity to the allegations.
We were given permission by one of the people making the allegation to forward
the complaint to the FBI and Inspector General. We were informed the initial
complaint was made to the District Attorneys office; however, no actions were
ever taken against the Commissioner in question.

Until we place restoring public trust as a top priority, taxpayers, property owners,
homeowners and business owners recommend the Board of Commissioners
Page 7|8

immediately demonstrate the value they place in restoring public trust in our local
government by enacting the following changes:

Establish and fund an Internal Auditor.

Creation of a new anti-corruption unit within the DeKalb Police Department, in
concert with the FBI and GBI.
Support the Board of Ethics and maintain its independence.

We are requesting the FBI, GBI and Inspector General expand their investigations
into alleged criminal activity, wrongdoing, and malfeasance to include Kelvin
Walton and Nina Hall as well as staff members in the Purchasing and Contracting
Department, Public Works Department, IT and Watershed. Once again, we
request RICO classification.
Should Interim CEO Lee May continue to refuse to enact a forensic audit of Purchasing
and Contracting, Public Works, IT and Watershed, we respectfully request that the FBI,
GBI and Inspector General exercise its given power to perform a criminal forensic audit
based on our presentments to the Board of Ethics, such as:
Restore Public Trust Ethics Complaint Original
https://www.scribd.com/doc/212831368/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-Complaint

1st amendment Restore Public Trust Ethics Complaint

https://www.scribd.com/doc/229061432/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-1

2nd amendment Restore Public Trust Ethics Complaint

https://www.scribd.com/doc/242320633/Restore-Public-Trust-Ethics-ComplaintAmendment-II-Executive-Summary?secret_password=ffvecAKCeAvJWh2lRn4Q

Once again, we strive to present enough documentation and evidence to have

these matters classified as a RICO case.
Respectfully submitted,

Viola Davis
Community Missionary
Page 8|8