Tag: James Draper

A “fall” festival? Draper sentencing set in beef plant fiasco set for Halloween

James Draper was such a minor player in the beef plant case that I doubt few even know his name; yet, of all the folks involved, Draper is the one facing the longest sentence – and, if the government gets what it wants, his sentence will be even longer after the Halloween Day hearing. The Clarion-Ledger ran a brief update in today’s paper. h/t Phunk and Wagnalls

James Draper, convicted by a jury for his part in the Mississippi Beef Plant scandal, will be sentenced on Oct. 31. The government is asking Chief Judge Michael Mills to deal more harshly with Draper, a refrigerator salesman from Tennessee, than a pre-sentence report recommends.

Draper was convicted July 23 on two counts — aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of money obtained by fraud, and of money laundering — in bilking the state out of $187,725. The government filed a four-page motion Tuesday urging Mills to consider that Draper lied during his two-day trial in U.S. District Court.

Based on the charges against him, it would seem Draper had no information to trade for a lighter sentence – but there’s more to the story of this puzzling aspect of the beef plant case tan the  charges against Draper suggest: Continue reading “A “fall” festival? Draper sentencing set in beef plant fiasco set for Halloween”

A "fall" festival? Draper sentencing set in beef plant fiasco set for Halloween

James Draper was such a minor player in the beef plant case that I doubt few even know his name; yet, of all the folks involved, Draper is the one facing the longest sentence – and, if the government gets what it wants, his sentence will be even longer after the Halloween Day hearing. The Clarion-Ledger ran a brief update in today’s paper. h/t Phunk and Wagnalls

James Draper, convicted by a jury for his part in the Mississippi Beef Plant scandal, will be sentenced on Oct. 31. The government is asking Chief Judge Michael Mills to deal more harshly with Draper, a refrigerator salesman from Tennessee, than a pre-sentence report recommends.

Draper was convicted July 23 on two counts — aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of money obtained by fraud, and of money laundering — in bilking the state out of $187,725. The government filed a four-page motion Tuesday urging Mills to consider that Draper lied during his two-day trial in U.S. District Court.

Based on the charges against him, it would seem Draper had no information to trade for a lighter sentence – but there’s more to the story of this puzzling aspect of the beef plant case tan the  charges against Draper suggest: Continue reading “A "fall" festival? Draper sentencing set in beef plant fiasco set for Halloween”

Jury finds Draper guilty of charges in beef plant case

Paul Quinn, a student intern writing from Oxford for the Clarion Ledger, has the story.

A refrigeration company sales representative accused of pocketing funds for equipment at a beef processing plant has been found guilty of charges related to the failed business.

A jury in Oxford this afternoon convicted James Draper of Mount Juliet, Tenn., of money laundering and interstate transportation of money obtained by fraud.

Draper faces up to 30 years in prison and $750,000 in fines on two charges.

It is the first time someone charged in connection with the failed venture in Yalobusha County has gone on trial. Continue reading “Jury finds Draper guilty of charges in beef plant case”

Latest bull on the beef plant

According to today’s Daily Journal, only closing arguments remain before the jury begins deliberation in the trial of James Draper.

Testimony in the federal fraud and money laundering trial of James Draper ended Tuesday after the defendant said he knew nothing of plant owner Richard Hall’s intentions to defraud the state of Mississippi.

Draper’s charges stem from the failed Mississippi Beef Processors plant that the state helped fund in Oakland.

Draper, the refrigeration equipment salesman, deposited a $187,725 check from the state for equipment that was never purchased, then turned over all but $20,000 – an amount he said he was owed for expenses incurred in helping Hall research equipment purchases – to Mississippi Beef Processors. Hall allegedly then converted the $167,725 to personal use. Hall created an invoice to justify the check.

All of that we’ve heard before but it’s what comes next that inspired the title of this post. Continue reading “Latest bull on the beef plant”