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Man Behind Planned 500 Century Jobs Behind Bars For Financial Crimes
September 24, 2011
The man behind an industry announced for Century is now behind bars in Florida awaiting extradition to Alabama to multiple financial and fraud charges.
James Leonard Craft, age 71 of Milton, is being held without bond in the Santa Rosa County Jail as a fugitive from justice. Craft was arrested without incident late Friday morning and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail were he will remain until he is extradited to Etowah County, Alabama, to face multiple felony charges.
At last report, Craft was the manager of Century Lumber and Land, a company that held a ribbon cutting back in October 2010 for a group of new businesses that planned to locate in Century’s vacant Alger Sullivan Lumber Company property and bring up to 500 jobs to the struggling town. According to Workforce Escarosa, over 3,000 people have applied for those jobs as of earlier this year.
Sgt. Steven Hooks with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office declined late Friday to specify exactly what securities fraud and financial charges Craft faces.
“He was indicted by a grand jury in Etowah County,” Hooks said, “and the exact charges are not public record until he is returned here and the warrant is served.” Craft’s bond is expected to be set at $30,000 once he is formally booked into the Etowah County Jail in Gasden, Alabama.
In a public order in late 2010, the Alabama Securities Commission ordered Century Lumber and Land, LLC and James Craft to cease and desist from offering or selling financial securities, within or from the state of Alabama after an alleged attempt to solicit an investment without a license for a wood products business.
Late Friday, Dan Lord, public affairs manager for the Alabama Securities Commission, referred NorthEsambia.com to the cease and desist order that names Craft and Century Lumber and Land. He declined to say if Craft’s indictment in Etowah County was related to the 2010 Alabama Securities Commission order.
Pictured top: The October 22, 2010, ribbon cutting for Century Lumber and Land. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
14 Responses to “Man Behind Planned 500 Century Jobs Behind Bars For Financial Crimes”
I can’t say Im surprised. I was “hired” through a local employment agency back in Jan to work security on the site but never got a start date. I filled out an applacation, W2 and other paperwork even going sofar as to go to the Escarose office in Century to fill out more paperwork. After being put off for about 4 monthe I began to think something smelled. Now I know why.
I really needed that job.
I don’t supose I have any recourse do I?
Why is this not surprising? That’s why it is so important to do Background checks! The city should have a detailed policy and procedure for checking out prospective companies…Century has been scammed too many times.
Helicopter technology, Magnum, Sophie’s,..the Lumber co from several years ago
just to name a few.
If they do not learn from their mistakes, they are doomed to repeat them.
There are several issues at play here. First and formost the city should have checked to see if he was or had a representive who had a licenses or had made an SEC filing to be legal. Pretty simple a phone call would have taken care of that problem before they got all excited and endorsed him. The investors in this program should have done their due diligence as well by checking this guy out. You should never just buy into a promise. Make sure it is real by doing exactly what the city should have done call the SEC commissioner of the state and see if there is a filing and if so what are the limts of the filing and how many licensed agents and what firm is handing the monies. So there are a lot of things that need to be considered before jumping on board with an investment or a promise.
Just saying use common sense when exploreing things like this. We all want jobs but don’t be so desprite to get suckered!
Why the Town of Century insists on embarrassing themselves with a ribbon cutting, getting everyone’s hopes up when all their ducks are not in a row! Don’t celebrate till all the “i’s” are dotted and the “t’s” are crossed! I always said this deal sounded fishy, and as time passed and nothing came to realization it smelled worse and worse. Lesson learned I hope!
Century needs to hire someone that know what they are doing to try and bring jobs to Century. Everything that has come or trys to come is always some fly by night thing that is not worth two cents and most of the time they are crooks. I sure hope they hire someone to investigate the latest promises before giving 15 acres of land and no telling what else they have been promised. One thing for sure the council does not know anything about them because they are kept in the dark. Wise up council quit letting things that should be dealt with at City Hall be done somewhere else and u are the last to know
This is very sad for all of the people who trusted him. There was an old story about a fellow being arrested for stealing from people who trusted him. The judge ask why steal from people who trust you—he replied, it’s hard to cheat people who don’t trust you. There was so much hope, hard work and time put into this by everyone involved—just keep trying and don’t give up.
REGARDING:
“- – - GOD is slowly removing his hand of protection from our country”
Or maybe the Lord is showing his continuing protection through the arrests of those who would prey upon us.
David for gratitude
It seems the Securities and Exchange Commission needs to open an office in Century to investigate any plans to bring the area out of economic doldrums. Almost every person who says they are going to bring jobs and some financial security to the area seems to get indicted and arrested for financial wrongdoing.
You cannot make this kind of stuff up. Century appears to be a magnet for this sort of boondoggle. I pray that the latest idea actually creates some jobs for residents.
Maybe it’s for the better that this happened now, not when paychecks started bouncing.
Can we not find ONE HONEST MAN anymore…no wonder GOD is slowly removing his hand of protection from our country
this might explain way none of us ever got to goto work up in century. and why he quit returning phone calls from ppl he told as soon as it opens i will get you on board.
As always, every business that comes to century isn’t checked out, century showers them with money/tax breaks and its always a scam.
Can no one start a legit business there? Before this it was the failed helicopter plant
I am sorry to see everyone’s hopes and expectations bashed, by Mr Crafts selfishness. Mayor McCall, Council and Chamber, you guys tried. The A/S sawmill is a nice large facility, you guys will bring some jobs in there yet. I dont care if he is 71 years old, I think Kraft needs to be in the fields at the State Farm.
what a sad day for all the trusting people that were led to believe Century Lumber and Land was coming and now people would have jobs to better care for their familes, make a better future for them….Mr. Craft sat in our churches,..shared meals with us….and promised us that bright future…this con was not his first rodeo but I pray it will be his last. He needs to go to jail for a very long time.