Planned Century Industry Boss Jailed In Alabama For Financial Crimes, Fraud

October 8, 2011

James Leonard Craft — the man behind up to 500 jobs announced last year that never materialized in Century — was extradited Friday to Alabama to face multiple financial and fraud charges.

The  indictment against Craft was unsealed as he was booked into the Etowah County Jail in Gadsden, Alabama, on charges stemming from an Alabama Securities Commission investigation. Craft, according to Etowah County Jail Records, is charged with two counts of being an unregistered agent, two counts of selling unregistered securities, four counts of misrepresentation, scheme to defraud, first degree theft and a charge of second degree theft. His bond amount was not immediately available.

The 71-year old Craft was arrested without incident September 23 and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail where he was held as a fugitive from justice until being picked up Friday by Alabama authorities.

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 had applied for those jobs as of earlier this year.

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.

Further details about the circumstances surrounding the charges against Craft are expected to be released Tuesday — Monday is the Columbus Day holiday with Alabama state and Etowah County offices closed.

Pictured top: The October 22, 2010, ribbon cutting for Century Lumber and Land. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

6 Responses to “Planned Century Industry Boss Jailed In Alabama For Financial Crimes, Fraud”

  1. Everett on October 12th, 2011 5:32 am

    Most of your larger cities run a complete financial and criminal check on any persons or corporations desiring to bring a large inflow if business. I’m guessing this didn’t happen in this case.

  2. Pam on October 10th, 2011 8:21 am

    Why is there no looking into the backgrounds of people before Century jumps into what seems to be good news….I was taught that if it is to good to be true….it is a lie. We need to check things out before jumping into things.

  3. Job needed on October 8th, 2011 1:25 pm

    What about the people who put in for the job. They still need jobs and pay check they were all hoping for job that was false. They need to still use those applications to help them get a job they decerve.

  4. Baebae on October 8th, 2011 8:04 am

    We call this ..HOOKIN N CROOKIN….the entire world is full of greed….oil companies…banks…government…insurance…The world is in a state of fear and everyone is trying to GET IT ALL while they can..something is wrong…and MAN can not fix what MAN has made a mess of….only GOD can fix this mess….It use to happen somewhere else…now its in Century, Florida

  5. cygie on October 8th, 2011 8:04 am

    I pray that the Lord use this experience to open this man’s eyes to his wicked ways. The devil is the father of all lies. Through the real Light this man can be forgiven.

  6. 429SCJ on October 8th, 2011 7:24 am

    May Century and the world be shed of old man Craft. Let him go con the devil.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News