Welcome to CASA RICO Royale

First it was coffee, now it is bingo.

What rackets are organized to generate funds under the guise of children! Getting busted in schemes to maintaining an organization that is being phased out is a risk one must take to keep a paycheck coming. CASA has its own agenda, and it is not helping children. CASA is not trained to report fraud because it would be a conflict of interest. They would have to report themselves.

Before you dismiss me as being a pessimist, or whatever term one may conjure to cast a disparaging light upon my credibility, I know the operations of CASA, well. Without going into detail, I will disclose that I even once interviewed for the position, taking the time to interview CASA, in what I call a data collection interview.

CASA RICO Royale

I learned of the financing and the administration. I learned of the training and the interactions with the judges. If it smells like a racket, then it is a racket.

What did they do for the children? Nothing but recommend extended stays in foster care and allow federal false claims to be filed. Why? Because they would loose their funding if they did not.  The rackets are nothing but a game of Rusisan Roulette.  What are the chances CASA gets busted?

The only disappearance should be the entire program of CASA. Health care reform can absorb this function under the Medicaid expansions. Time to shut down CASA RICO Royale. 

CASA social worker charged in bingo funds’ disappearance
Friday, 17 September 2010

The director of local non-profit organization that helps abused and neglected children was arrested this week for allegedly embezzling funds and operating an illegal gambling house, authorities said.

Former Benton resident Jackie Perkins, 54, who lists a residency in Little Rock, was charged with felony keeping a gambling house and felony theft of property. Tammy McLain, 49, who also lists the same address as Perkins, was also charged with the same felonies.

Saline County Sheriff Bruce Pennington said Perkins and McLain allegedly were operating “an illegal gambling house masquerading as charity bingo” for the Saline County Court Appointed Special Advocates. He said the investigation is continuing and there “is a chance more charges could be added.” Authorities said $15,320 raised from charitable bingo was found in both Perkins’ and McLain’s vehicles and at the bingo center at 709 East St. in Benton. Pennington also noted that McLain is not an employee of CASA, but was helping with the charitable bingo games.

“That is only what we know about,” Sheriff’s Lt. Scotty Courtney said.

It was Nov. 24, 2007, when Perkins first started a legal bingo fundraising program to benefit CASA. She told the Courier then that the bingo games was an alternative to raising money and meeting financial budgets for CASA.

“The woes of our economy have put a strain on charitable organizations as they receive less and less support,” Perkins said in 2007. “As the board of Saline County CASA looked at different avenues of raising funds, they wanted to do something that would provide a form of entertainment and also raise much needed financial support for the organization.”

Since that time Pennington said that Perkins had moved the location of the bingo games to various facilities in Benton, with the last being held at 709 East St. He also said the state license had expired “for some time,” but Perkins continued the bingo games anyway.

In a 2007 interview Perkins also told the Courier, “according to state laws, you can only hold bingo two nights a week and we have started bingo one night a week on Saturday night, but we are thinking of starting another night as we grow.”

Pennington, however, said at least during the past few months, Perkins had the bingo nights operating “three or four times” a week. He also said “none of the funds were being sent back to CASA.”

Just a few weeks ago Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Ken Casady received information that Perkins and McLain were possibly misappropriating funds from the charitable bingo. After speaking with Pennington, the Sheriff’s Office began investigating the matter.

“After they have a bingo night and the next day there is no deposit made, you get little flashes that ‘hey, it’s not being run correctly,’” Pennington said. “If the money was being raised in the CASA name, it should have all profited CASA.”

Casady said what Perkins and McLain are being accused of shouldn’t tarnish the “good reputation” of the Saline County CASA. He said that no other CASA volunteers or employees are part of the illegal activities, but also said he “can’t comment” if there could be additional arrests with the case.

“(CASA) really does good work and helps the community,” Casady said. “CASA volunteers and the other employees had nothing to do with this case. They work diligently to make sure kids are taken care of and (CASA) could have been doing more if the (bingo) funds weren’t diverted. They are still a great organization and they will be better off in the future (without Perkins).”

During a four-week investigation, Pennington said through subpoenas, search warrants and undercover operations, it was determined that there was embezzlement of funds and llegal gambling.

“We had a few deputies attend and play the bingo games,” Pennington said. “The way the bingo was set up was fine, but the problem was where the money was going.”

On Monday, Perkins and McLain were found in the Saline County CASA parking lot and taken into custody. Each was charged with a Class D felony keeping a gambling house and Class C felony theft of property. A Class C felony carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A Class D felony carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

On Wednesday, Perkins and McLain were released from the Saline County jail on a signature bond with a court order to have no contact with Saline County CASA, its employees, volunteers or functions, and to have no contact with any charitable bingo game.

“It will be an extensive investigation,” Casady said. “A lot more information about this case will come out at trial.”

The trial, however, has not been set yet.

The Courier made several attempts to contact Perkins, but her cell phone was not accepting calls as of Thursday and as of press time today.

Perkins has been the director of the Saline County CASA for at least five years. CASA trains community volunteers to assist abused and neglected children through the Department of Human Services and the court system. The agency is funded through government grants and private donations. A recent report showed that two dozen CASA volunteers were aiding 35 children.

According to the website, www.salinecountycasa.com, “Arkansas (CASA) approved a Saline County Program in 1997. Since then, we have served as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the court and spoken up for the best interests of the children within our county. We have grown to represent approximately 60 percent of all of these children within the Juvenile Court System.”

Saline County CASA is a nonprofit organization and is a member of the National CASA Association. It is an active member of the Arkansas State CASA Association, and volunteers to Saline County CASA are appointed by Saline County Circuit Judge Gary Arnold.

The website states: “Volunteers then make a recommendation to the court at each hearing along the way, thus providing the judge with valuable information on the child to help the court make a sound decision about his or her future.”