Do you remember Mr.Kenneth Townsend? You know, the guy that was arrested for stealing almost $500,000.00 from the Wicomico County Landfill with Ray Lewis and received only 1.5 years and a $10,000.00 Fine?
Well, as much as I do NOT want to put up this Post, I have received 3 phone calls since Friday in reference to Kenneth Townsend working Walgreen's in Salisbury ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on Work Release.
I can assure you of one thing Folks, the Salvation Army's phone is ringing off the hook this morning by concerned citizens screaming about criminals working any location for the Salvation Army.
In order to relieve them I am personally willing to work any shift they hand me to assure the Citizens that NO WORK RELEASE people/criminals fill in for anyone. As I'm sure they only did so because they didn't have enough volunteers, we simply need to step up to the plate Ladies & Gentlemen and give a helping hand.
Let me assure you of one thing, it's a wonderful experience and people appreciate what you're doing so much.So rather than turning this into a bad thing, let's all make contact with the Salvation Army and donate our time to help a great cause.
For those of you who have been calling me about this situation, I have been in contact with Sheriff Lewis about it and one thing I can assure you is, he is on it like you wouldn't believe. Sheriff Lewis is upset and I was told that something would be done about it first thing this morning.
56 comments:
Now what about redemption? And exactly who are we mad about here?
Sounds like we should have the Sheriff on the case of the local judges, shouldn't they too be denied an opportunity to redeem themselves from those soft sentences they've given out over by not being allowed to ring the bell for charity!!
They must be desparate for help. After all, they let you ring the bell.
So I am curious! If this is not a suitable Community Service for a criminal, what would be suitable services a criminal could provide?
Could even be question of the day?
Hey Mike, I won't disrespect you like you have me. However, what have YOU done for the Salvation Army this year? Do YOU give back to your community? Do you know I live in Delaware and volunteer in Salisbury?
Cleaning up the Zoo. Cleaning the River. Cleaning up Rt. 50. Just to name a few.
probably getting community service hours for it too
Joe, can the Police lift fingerprints off te plastic bottle left on one of those breaker boxes.
I agree with you Joe. I won't trust this guy with a kettle full of money. If Lewis is on it that's good enough for me.
When does it end. You have exposed these people for years and like clock work you just keep delivering more crap that sacks us in the face. The Police are making more money and even though they claim crime is down in the Daily Times I'm starting to believe its more about less crime like this is being reported instead. What you do is valuable Joe but very depressing for the taxpayer.
what exactly is the harm in this? It is community service! I'm sure this isn't the first time a work release person has done this!
Volunteerism is at an all time low for all organizations. I think the use of pre-release inmates for this purpose is a great idea. They are out working everyday anyway and are not a threat to anyone. I'm sure the salvation army has locks on the kettles, if not it would be more than the inmates stealing the money.
On Saturday morning, I was at Walmart in Fruitland and saw the kettle for the Salvation Army there. It was just out front with no one ringing the bell. I thought okay maybe they had to run into the bathroom or something. Oh no, when I came out about 45 minutes later there it was for all eyes to see. They should have moved it at least inside the lobby if no one was manning it. I know they are in need for bell ringers but they are asking for trouble leaving it unmanned out there.
You are the one turning this into a bad thing.
Any other bell ringers you have a problem with?
Maybe you should list all bell ringers you approve of so we know who's kettle it's o.k. to put money in.
I'm sorry Ken stole your bell ringing thunder.
Get a grip.
While community service is a good thing for wrongdoers, any access to money should not be a task doled out.
I thought work release people had to be back by 5:00. I could be wrong but that's what I was told some time ago. Mr. Townsend was out there around 8:00 pm when I went by.
Ringing the bell for Salvation Army gives inmates community service time to be substracted from their jail time. They can only do community service if they are on work release. I have had several work release inmates do work for me and are really great workers, always on time and never hungover. I think that if an inmate is in jail for having a dwi,or dui, or some minor infraction then there should be no reason why they can't do community service work.
anonymous 10:20, aka Anti Albero Blogger,
What did Mr. Townsend do to get himself into trouble in the first place.
This topic is one in which I truly didn't want to expose and it took a lot for me to do so and let me explain why.
The Salvation Army does wonderful things for the community, no one can deny that. I had been receiving phone calls since Friday night about this situation and while I pondered it over throughout the weekend, the cals just kept coming in.
People coming to this Site rely on me to deliver them the news and each one of them had informed me they had also contacted the MSM and no one said or did anything about it.
So do I act like them and cover up these kind of stories? That was the tough decision I had to make. I do not in any way want to harm the Salvation Army and believe me, this is NOT helping me in any way, shape or form.
The truth has been told and IMHO I believe the citizens need to recognize just how short handed the Salvation Army is right now and step up to the plate and volunteer.
There have been MANY cases where articles like this turned out to be great things because everyone came together and helped make things right. This article should be one of those prime examples of such, should people open their schedules and help man these locations.
I get no joy from this Post and I feel horrible for exposing it but I am willing to give of my own time to help out and fill in any gaps they so choose for me.
I think all you did by posting this was hurt the salvation army since some ignorant people will choose not to give just because of who is ringing the bell! I'm sure Kenneth Townsend is not the first person on work relase to ring the bell!!!
This is not the brightest of ideas. sheesh.
Funny!! Haven't seen Davis Ruark ringing the bell anywhere,have you?
Exactly, 10:22. I mean, the man was arrested for theft, right?
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
standard procedures: if you are found guilty of stealing money, you are not allowed to work handling money at all! i wouldn't trust this a*hole with one penny. why is he allowed to handle money?
Mrs. Tom
When you are on work release you are out of jail for 12 hours. You are supposed to be WORKING not volunteering. Community service is done during probation when he is a semi free man. Right now he is an inmate at the WCDC nowhere near a free man. Why is he being allowed to do community service during his incarceration?
All this talk about them wanting to fry the big fish in the landfill theft scheme, well who do you think the big fish is? Kenny Townsend was at the top of the ladder right under Rai Sharma. Without Kenny Townsend, Ray Lewis would not have been able to bilk the taxpayers out of nearly a half a million dollars.
Send his ass back to jail where it belongs. He has violated the conditions of work release by NOT REPORTING TO WORK. Does he even have a job? Who employs him? Who is taking responsibility for his work release time?
12:13 pm has some valid questions. Before you are allowed to do community service you have to be on work release status, which comes from the warden. Each inmate on work release can only work 12 hours a day, that includes travel time. And he does have to report to a supervisor.
Redemption and community service are one thing....but theres lots of OTHER things he can do that do not involved MONEY!Thats like having the wolf collect eggs from the chickenhouse!
And for the comment towards Joe about "they let you ring the bell"-at least he is out there!!!!!!We all know he could afford to write a ginormous check to Salvation Army and call it a day,but he is out there,freezing his ass off,to ring the bell.Do you think he is out there risking frostbite to seek glory?
One thing is for sure. Kenny won't be out working the bell any more. If I would have seen him I would have gone home and put on a ski mask and punched his lights out. Then I would have dropped a twenty dollar bill in the bucket and made the most satisfying donation I had ever made. Happy Holidays.
Thanks Totmom!
IF THIS GUY, OR ANY OTHER WORK RELEASE PERSON IS STUPID ENOUGH TO RISK THEIR IMPENDING RELEASE FROM JAIL BY STEALING MONEY FROM A SALVATION ARMY KETTLE, THEY DESERVE THE FIRING SQUAD THE NEXT TIME AROUND.
Seriously.
There is no firing squad in America.
Yes there is, death row inmates in some states can request the firing squad.
They should just make him where a sign that says "I stole from the tax-payers".
I just feel they should put him the jail cell alone with Big Bubba and have him take the 500K out of his A$$.
I SAW SCROOGE RINGING THE BELL AT WALMART SATURDAY. HE WAS DRESSED AS THE FIRE CHIEF. THATS ENOUGH TO DRIVE ANYONE AWAY. SOME OF HIS ELVES AREN'T SO NICE EITHER.
Every one of you who is so angry at the thought of having this guy or any other work released person ring the bell, call the SA and volunteer to take their place! In order for the nice, ETHICAL people who run the SA to have agreed to this work release bell ringer scenario, they were extremely hard up for ringers. I'm ringing several different times. ARE YOU?
What's up with Walgreens? First they have Townsend ringing the bell in front of their Salisbury store, and second they had his cohort Tomanski or however you spell his name working nights at Happy harry's in Seaford. Oh by the way HH is a Walgreens company store
Kenneth Townsend has also been working back at the landfill as a work release inmate.
I don't have a problem with work release inmates ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. Let them use the people that have committed lesser offenses not the ones that stole $500k from the taxpayers then gave them lighter sentences than a pot smoker. I don't know why the county or how the county could even agree to this. Nothing like taking that big paw of Rick Pollitts and slapping we the taxpayers right in the face.
Thanks Rick and a Merry Christmas to you too.
By the way, it's Tomaszewski. If you had done your homework like I have you would know. By the way, if any of you are interested the County Landfill does not receive money from the taxpayers. So none of you have been "screwed". The landfill operates on the money it generates. Not that what happened out there is right by any means, but the county taxpayers should not be led to believe otherwise. I think it's a shame how judgemental the majority of this county seems to be. It seems that most of you think your perfect. Just remember only God holds that title and one day you will answer for what you say and do.
Since crime was down 8% last year and another 4% this year maybe we can cut a few officers so the rest can get the raise they were promised by bubba and weasal.
Crime is down 12% so we can cut the force of two officers and put it into the cities ancient sewer system, the Romans were way ahead of this administration.
Hey 8:08pm---why do you blame Rick Pollitt for the lame sentence a liberal judge handed down ? Rick is not in charge of work-release or the sentencing of crooks like Ken Townsend. The question I would have for Rick Pollitt and Mike Lewis is how was Rai Sharma allowed to resign about 2 days after this whole mess hit the fan and never have to answer for his lack of attention(or worse--a cover-up ?) in this matter ?
I haven't seen DDD's name mentioned in these posts. Obviously the warden had to approve the release for bell ringing. Another good decision by Devenyns. Ruark & Pollitt also played a role in this as well. I'm more outraged that Townsend is back working at the landfill then I am at his bell ringing. In reality he nor anyone can get the money out of the kettles.
To Anon 8:18PM
It's nice to see that Mr.Tomaszewski's wife or relatives post on the boards. Your excuse of how the landfill is funded, is that what Mr. Tomaszewski told you, so he could be guilt free? By the way Mrs. Tomaszewski did you ever ask how your husband how he was able to afford diamond necklaces and $50,000 Special Edition Ford SUV's? Must have been all of those "pay raises" from taxpayers. I hope the IRS and comptroller of Maryland unleash the dogs on your asses.
Merry Christmas
Let He Who is Without Sin Cast the First Stone
All Have Sinned and Fall Short of the Glory of God
Romans 3:23
I know I try to live a righteous life, but I'm not perfect, I'm so proud of you all, because you're all perfect.
If sheriff Lewis was so concerned
about the inmates voluntering for the salvation army who came out and asked the inmates if they would volunteer why did he ring the bell side by side with inmates
saturday night at walmart south. Said he really apritiated what they were doing for the community.
I at least won't expect a request for more officers this year since crime is down.
anonymous 9:00 or inside source,
Your "inside information" is a bit screwed up. First of all, Sheriff Lewis wasn't at the WalMart North Saturday night.
However, he was at Sam's Club Saturday night after "I" called him because "I" was at Sam's Club ringing the bell. Mike had already been there during the day time as wel as his family members ringing the bell but RETURNED to Sam's Club that evening because of my phone call to him.
The Salvation Army came to me and told me they were replacing me from my shift with two Work Release Inmates. I refused to leave and called Sheriff Lewis who immediately got in his vehicle and came up there to ring the bel with me until 9:00 PM.
It was a VERY long day for ALL of us but we felt we needed to stick around and cover the remainder of the evening because we felt it was the right thing to do.
So now you have it FROM the SOURCE.
If you go to the landfills web site it says on there they are self sufficient and also do we need to call the cops on you for stalking? how do you kno what my mother gets or drives? sounds to me you need to stay out of it before you get locked up. I will be contacting the authorities 7:54am to trace your blog and find out how and why you kno so much about my mother!!!! As far as her expedition goes she got it used and she pays for it!!
Amber is 100% percent correct..... the landfill does not operate on tax payers dollars..
No offense,but 7:54 has not threatened anyone or admitted to a crime so the authorities are NOT going to go out of their way to "trace" their IP address.I understand your desire to defend someone you love but that does not negate the fact that he conspired with others to defraud and steal from the county.
Personally I believe this ENTIRE thing is blown well out of proportion...!!! I think all who are guilty are paying their dues for it, not that it was right by any means however every single person is guilty of one thing or another so if that is all you people have to do with your lives is sit and worry about what this person or that person is doing and you have so much time on your hands why don't you either get a job or go do community work as well....AND remember GOD is the one and only true judge!!! All your bashing REALLY DOESN'T MATTER....
Blown out of proportion?These people stole HALF A MILLION DOLLARS worth of goods from their employer!Those of us who find this repugnant do not have to judge, because an actual judge has found them guilty!
I have a PT job where I personally handle LARGE amounts of cash and inventory on a regular basis and there is NOTHING that would compel me to steal from my employer.In this economy, I am damn grateful to have a job.It is not an issue of whether I could get away with it or not.I am not financially well off either,but once you cross that boundary you are forever deemed untrustworthy.My employers trust me and know that I am honest and thats something no amount of money can buy.
For better or worse what they own combined should be community property in restitution to the taxpayers. Why should the county let the insurance company pay for it, they stole $500,000. Let them return the money they stole, give them a bus ticket to a location of their choice.
Now if it is true that at least one or more are still employed at the landfill or any other county job gives me a totally different opinion of the people I elected to county office. They should be dropped like a bag of dirt. End of story.
To 8:17 and 5: 45 Thank you! Just what this world needs, people who realize we are all sinners in some way, shape or form and we will answer for our sins on judgement day.
7:07 GET A FULL-TIME JOB!!!!!! Come down off your high horse because you're not perfect either!
How about the Government... are all you people with to much time on your hands worried about how crooked they are and how much they are stealing from each and everyone of us...??? NO your not because all that is top secrect its not out in the open. Soon something else will happen and all of you will have something else to complain and gripe about and other people to degrade oh well if thats what makes your lives complete and you to feel better so be it! ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD!
Anon 5:33
With all due respect,BITE ME!Up til now I have tried to be respectful.I never said I was high and mighty-I have made mistakes,but I do NOT steal nor do I make excuses for people who do!
And I dont have to get a FT job-you know why?Mainly because I am raising a young child without palming her off to daycare 40 hrs a week but also because my husband has a FT job that provides for our family-he is not so greedy that he feels he has to STEAL to give us what we need or want like some people.
I am sorry (actually I am not!)if I offended you,but you need a good dose of reality and you need to come off YOUR high horse and realize that most of us out here struggle to pay our bills and do so without taking from someone else,wheres our pity party?
I tried to be nice,but you wanted the bull-so you got the horns.Don't annoy me anymore.
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