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Features
Spaghetti Dinner Planned For Middleton Parents
Woman Faces 10 Years For Buying Car With ‘Drop Money’
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
It has often been said that the best way to bring a group together offer food. And that is what one Hillsborough County High School plans to do.
On Thursday, January 26th, students enrolled in the Tra- ditional Program at Middle- ton High School and their families will enjoy a spaghetti dinner.
Dr. Kim Moore, Princi- pal of Middleton High School, will host the First Spaghetti Dinner for the designated group. It will take place at 6 p.m., in the school’s cafeteria.
“We hope you will make preparations to attend as this Dinner Meeting concerns your child’s attendance at Middleton High School for the 2017-2018 school year.
“Several of our Administra- tive Staff and teaching faculty will be on hand to provide support for this session and a panel of school employees will be available to answer all questions,” Dr. Moore said.
DR. KIM MOORE Principal, Middleton High School
The meal is free, however, for planning purposes those planning to attend needs to notify the school as soon as possible.
In order to prepare for the occasion, Dr. Moore is ask- ing those planning to attend to contact Ms. Green, Guid- ance Secretary at (813) 233- 3360, extension 240.
A Tampa woman is await- ing sentencing after plead- ing guilty to purchasing a car with drop money. She entered a guilty plea to the charge of engaging in an il- legal monetary transaction.
Ms. Charmeta Bess is facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to court docu- ments, Ms. Bess and Aaron Stanley purchased a 2007 Cadillac Escalade from Raymond L. Ro- driguez, Jr., owner and operator of Rodriguez Auto Wholesale, 4116 N. Florida Avenue, in June 2011.
Officials said the purchase price of the vehicle was $25,900. Officials said Stanley made it clear to Rodriguez that they in- tended to pay for the vehicle with “drop money.” Ro- driguez also understood the vehicle was to be regis- tered in Ms. Bess’s name although it was intended for
CHARMETA BESS (Photo Taken From Face- book)
Stanley’s use. Officials said Rodriguez
didn’t have the ability to swipe the Green Dot cards the tax fraud money had been loaded onto. Over the next few weeks, Stanley and or Ms. Bess returned
to the dealership with money orders designated for purchasing the vehicle.
All of the money orders were signed by Ms. Bess and were purchased using debit cards loaded with money obtained through fraudulent tax returns.
Officials said Rodriguez had been selling cars to in- dividuals using “drop money” to pay for them since 2009.
A subpoena was obtained for his records. Officials found the sale of the vehicle to Ms. Bess. The records showed she purchased the vehicle for $27,504 and paid $24,700 cash for it.
Officials said the money for the purchase of the car came from 8 debit cards that had been loaded with a total of $76,318.
No sentencing date has been set for Ms. Bess. Ro- driguez pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in September 2015.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3