UPDATE 11:00 Day Two: Attorney General VS Bobby Snellgrove

Sandra Stokes Walden

Viewed: 4899

Posted by: Sandra Walden
Date: May 12 2015 9:54 AM

Judge Mendheim’s courtoom

8:52

State of Alabama VS Bobby Snellgrove 

Judge  Mendheim is addressing the jurors. 

No public official shall use or cause to be used his official position or office to obtain personal gain for himself or family member of the public official or any business with witch the person is associated unless the use and gain are otherwise specifically authorized by law. 

Personal GAIN is achieved when the public official or a family member thereof receives, obtains, obverts control over or other wise converts to  personal use the object constituting such personal gain.

First witness by the state:  Billy Lisenby for the State

William Dempsey, Houston County Commission, Chief Administrative Officer for 7 ½ years.  Primary duty financial overseer for the county, he has contracts and other departments report to him.  He maintains the verbal content of the meeting, resolutions that may have been passed in the meeting.

Do you know the defendant Bobby Snellgrove?  I do, he was on the commission that hired me and we knew each other from attending conferences together and riding together.

He is no longer on the commission, 2011 perhaps was when he came off commission.

Do you know a person by the name Ronnie Gilley?  Personally no

 I have seen Mr. Gilley but to the best of my knowledge I have not been introduced t Mr. Gilley.  I have seen him at conferences and at meetings.

Commission meetings met in the commission room at the Houston Count administrative building.

I would like to show you some documents if I could.  Lisenby is handing copies of documents to Mr. Dempsey.  Mr. Dempsey is reviewing the documents.

Do you recognize in general what those documents are?  These are the minutes of the commission meetings. 

(Judge Mendheim is explaining to the jurors what exhibits are)

Mr. Dempsey let’s start with exhibit number 9.  Can you just tell the members of the jury what it is we are looking at in regard to this page.

The date, the commissions members present and staff present.  Culver called the meeting to order.  We went through the agenda.

Is that the same format you are going to see in each exhibit?  It is.

On the screen we have highlighted an area of exhibit 9.  This is the minutes of the meeting, a record or history of the meeting itself.  February 25, 2008.  Commissioner Snellgrove is present at this meeting.

Tell us what is happening in regard to this particular paragraph.  George Jones, the entertainer, was present and Chairman Culver recognized him.  Mr. Jones as I understand it was to be a partner in the Country Crossings venture.

Mr. Dempsey this is the 2^nd page of the documents you have.  Mr. Dempsey do you see where it has a number 1.  A resolution has been presented to the Commission for consideration.  Chairman Culver is asking for a motion approve the resolution to amend the bingo regulations. Mr. Snellgrove made the motion.

Can you tell us about number 6?  Request to adopt a resolution to approve a economic development project for Houston County.

What was taking place in regards to Mr. Jones at that time.  Mr. Jones was talking about the impact he expected this project to make for Houston county.

Mr. Gilley was speaking to the commission that he predicted that Country Crossing would be similar to Branson, Mo.  Focusing more on country music, Dothan would become a destination place, addition of jobs, economic development added to the community, additional jobs.

Did other people speak either pro or con to this issue?  There were several people to speak.

Unanimous favorable vote for this resolution to be adopted.  Four commissioners voted favorable.  The chairman only votes if there is a tie and there was not a tie that day.

The next exhibit is 9-22-2008.  Culver, Harvey Snellgrove, Forrestor and Cook and myself were present.

Can you tell us what is happening there?  A revisit to original resolution.  To make regulations more restrictive, tying establishment directly to economic development. establishing a stamp that each machine has to have a stamp attached  and tax paid on it and one more change made.

They directly tied the regulations to economic development.

Nov 10, 2008  All present but county engineer

Regular agenda are items placed on agenda to be voted on the  Public is given notice 5 or 6 days before meeting.

Motion by Cook, seconded by Snellgrove to approve application

establishing the Improvement District in relation to Country Crossing.  Basically establishing the infra structure for Country Crossing. The vote was unanimous.

Nov 10, 2008 Request to adopt a resolution appointing directors for improvement district.  The directors are to provide additional guidance for the district and what goes on there.  Commissioner Cook made the motion, Commissioner Forrestor seconded,  unanimous vote.

Nov 24, 2008  Regular Agenda  Number 1 request to adopt resolution to approve a application seeking to form Cooperative District of Houston County for Country Crossing Project.  Unanimous Vote

 July 13, 2009  Request to adopt to resolution to approve preliminary and final assessments of the property of Country Crossings.  Cook make motion, second Harvey, vote unanimously

Nov 9 2009  identifies who is present

NO 6 request for retail liquor license for 300 Country Crossing Parkway…Cook made motion and Snellgrove seconded. unanimous

No 7 request for retail liquor license for 300 Country Crossing Parkway

Snellgrove made motion,  ? second, unanimous vote

No 8 request for retail liquor license for 300 Country Crossing Parkway

Cook made motion, Snellgrove 2^nd, unanimous

Dec 14, 2009  identifies who is present

No 5 request for retail liquor license for 300 Country Crossing Parkway

To allow New Years Eve special events at Country Crossing

Unanimous vote

Exhibit No 16 

Feb 8, 2010, All present

County Attorney Sherrer giving statements his investigations have found that bingo being preformed at Country Crossing was legal.

Supreme Court ruling was read by Culver at the meeting ruling that all electronic bingo machines were legal that were now sitting silently at Country Crossings.

Feb 26, 2010 Two commissioners out.  There was a quorum. This was a called meeting.  It was announced through normal procedures but not on normal scheduled date.

Meeting delayed until 4:30 due to one commissioner not being able to get there until then.

Commission went into executive session.  Commission convened in a location away from public and media to discuss a legal situation with the county attorney.

Meeting reconvened in public session. 

Commission received $1,500,000 a formal demand from HEDA . They were requesting the money that they paid on the bingo stamps be returned to them.

Any Bingo machine that went into Country Crossing had to have a stamp on it valued at $1,000 each.  After Country Crossings had been shut down, HEDA asked for their money back.  Request was denied.

July 26, 2010 

County Attorney requested the commission go into executive session. 

Cook made motion, Forrestor seconded, unanimous vote

Adopt a resolution to adopt court ordered consent judgement between county and HEDA, Vote Yay 3, Snellgrove voted against.

Is Comm Snellgrove present in the courtroom?  Yes sir.  Can you describe him?  He did. 

Ten minute Break.

11:00 Update:

Joey Sheffield

Chairman Culver’s number identified

Def Exhibit 1  Do you recognize that?  Minutes 2-11-2008 commission meeting.  Who was  absent?  Comm Bobby Snellgrove

 

DEf EX 2 Sample ballot.  June 1, 2010, is that accurate when Snellgrove ran for reelection?  Yes sir it is.

June 1, 2010 was election day, correct.  Do you remember if Democrat ran?  I do not.  Who ran against Snellgrove? Sinquefield

Sinquefield is current comm.

Feb 25, 2008 minutes, in your exhibit it did not include everything in the minutes? It did not.  I have not reviewed the original packet. 

Sheffield shows Dempsey a list of what had to be built before Country Crossing complete?  I have not reviewed these.

Were there phases?  I have not reviewed these. 

Alabama’s finest amphitheater…is that a accurate statement?  I have not reviewed those records. 

Mr. Dempsey had only been with the county 3 months when these records were presented. 

Pete Smyczek for State

Next Witness:  Donna Cayton, Al AG’s office, a special agent, 19 years, duties to investigate cases, financial analysis. 

Bank records were supeoned.  21 different accounts for Bobby and Mark Snellgrove and their businesses.  Bank and credit card accounts.

Did you prepare any charts and summaries?  I did

Exhibit 27 Spreadsheet of Snellgrove’s personal bank account.  Cayton entered documents into spread sheet .

Exhibit 28 Mark Snellgrove’s credit card account.  I entered each transaction into a Excel spreadsheet covering 12-28-07 through 11-20-09,

Exhibit 29 Regional Portables bank account.  Business of Mr. Bobby and Mark Snellgrove.  Records 9-24-10 through 12-22-10

Exhibit 30 Excel Spreadsheet of the account of Regional Services.  Security Business of Mark Snellgrove, son of Mr. Bobby Snellgrove.  3-05-09 through 8-11-10.   Who is making the payments on this spreadsheet.  Resorts Development Group Two LLC, Celebrity Station, LLC. 

Exhibit 32 Excel spreadsheet of checks from Ronnie Gilley Business to Regional Portables and from Regional Services  4-15-09 through 8-11-20  Who is making the payments on this spreadsheet.  Resorts Development Group Two LLC, Celebrity Station, LLC.

Payments to Regional Services $214,122 from Gilley businesses.

Payments to Regional Portables $6,087.10 from Gilley Businesses.

 

The following questions were to show the flow of money between Bobby Snellgrove and Regional Services:

12-09-2009 check from Bobby Snellgrove’s personal bank account to Regional Services for $1,000

12-24-2009 deposit into Bobby Snellgrove’s personal bank account from Regional Services for $1,000.

Check from Bobby Snellgrove’s personal bank account to Regional Services for $ 2,200.

Deposit into Bobby Snellgrove’s personal bank account from Regional Services for $2,200 

Mark Snellgrove’s credit card account..101.32 charge to Azar’s Uniform Company

Exhibit 31 Spreadsheet containing listing of checks to Mark Snellgrove from Dothan Prop Shop owned by Bobby Snellgrove 1-04-08 through 12-28-10. 

The following transactions were to show flow of money between Regional Portables and Regional Services:

Exhibt 29 spread sheet containing transactions from Regional Portables Bank Account.

Deposit from Regional Services in the amount of $500.

Deposit from Regional Services in the amount of $1,500

Deposit from Regional Services in the amount of $200

Exhibit 30  spreadsheet of transactions from Regional Services Bank Account

March 5, 2009.  Transaction for $4,000 Transfer from a account of Mark Snellgrove into Regional Services Account

 

Other Transactions from the accounts that the State questioned:

Check to Denise Snellgrove in the amount of $30.20

Account opened March 2009

3 checks to Derrick Snellgrove

Check to Denise Snellgrove for $155.55

Counter check from Regional Services account by Mark Snellgrove for $1,000

Check to Mark Snellgrove for $4,000+-

Total amount of payments to Mark Snellgrove 22,706.57

Mark Snellgrove transferred in $7000+-

Any other transactions into Regional Services Account that you thought were noteworthy?  Yes

Transaction for $200.  ATM withdrawal

Are there other ATM withdrawals yes  Approximately 50 transactions $7580 dollars

Check to Branton Brothers Well Drilling

Check to Bama Pool Services $3.055

Transacation $207 to Orthodontist

$414 to Orthodontist

Total payments to Orthodontist $621

$400 Lee’s Roofing Company

Douglas Smith DMD $ 350.  Total to Smith and Orthodontist $971

Talladega Super for $250.

$176.08 to Vet clinic

$47.82 to Vet Clinic

 Page 24

Ck 1617 Check to Dothan Periodontics and Implants

18736.05 Total Payments made to Mark Snellgrove by Regional Services and Regional Portables.

 

Joey Sheffield:

May 5 revised, did someone point out something was wrong with them?  You did.  It was a mistake.  Big Mistake wasn’t it   It showed Regional Portables received a check from Houston county.   It did..

Regional Services:  Mark Snellgrove  

Mark did everything in that company didn’t he?  From the transactions he did.

He bought Tickets to Talledega from his company’s account didn’t he?  Yes sir..  Bobby Snellgrove did not buy those tickets did he?  No sir.

Did you not know that Denise Snellgrove was Mark Snellgrove’s wife?  That was not my job, my job was to investigate financial transactions.

You pointed out two checks Bobby Snellgrove made to Regional Services and they were paid back within a few days.

Check from Bobby 12-09-2009 to Regional Services $2,000

Check from Regional Serivces to Bobby 12-12-2009 $2,000 signed by Mark Snellgrove

In check registry what is reason for that check being repaid to Bobby?  It says loan repayment. 

Check 4309 12-04-2010 Bobby’s personal account to Regional Services owned by Mark Snellgrove

On Feb 8 Regional Services repaid Bobby’s Snellgrove for loan

In all of your research Bobby Snellgrove did not get a penny out of Regional Services did he.  He did not

All the records I looked at came from financial institutions. I did not look at business records.

Region Portables,  the mistake we were talking about is Houston County Commisssions.  That check did not exist did it?  No sir.

 A juror has a migraine and the judge is adjourning until 1:30 so that he can try to get some relief.

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