The problems are apparently much larger than the City of Wrightsville alone and for some reason or another; no one within approximately 100 to 500 miles of this city will to help or get involved in order to make this city what it is suppose to be about and that should be about the well being of the citizens here of Wrightsville, Arkansas.

We have notified Elected Officials, State Senators, State Representatives, County Representatives, The Governor, The State Legislative Audit Committee, The State Attorney General, The State Police Department, The County Sheriff Department, The Prosecutor Attorney and The Federal Bureau of Investigations. Although the FBI has been very helpful in dealing with the situation concerning the former Mayor, Lorraine Smith of 20 plus years of serving as Mayor of The City of Wrightsville; where the Interim Mayor, Patricia Rogers-Ward, also the current Elected Recorder Treasurer was responsible for turning over a restitution check to the City Council and the Interim City Attorney, William Zack White.

The check was made payable to the Treasurer City of Wrightsville. The check was entitled Lorraine Smith Restitution, for restitution obligation to the City of Wrightsville. Mayor Smith was paying back diverted funds from the city account(s) in some type of secret Federal Court of this District in a criminal proceeding in which the City of Wrightsville had no knowledge of until this check # 00263680 fell into the lap of the current Elected Recorded Treasurer, Patricia Rogers-Ward on April 17, 2009.

The former Mayor was allowed to enter into a “Pretrial Diversion Program” when it appeared that she did not per the Interim City Counsel, William Zack White, meet the USAM eligibility guidelines. However, when the matter was brought to Mayor Smith’s attention and she was asked to provide an explanation of the check to the City Council during a regularly scheduled Wrightsville City Council Meeting on April 21, 2009, she stated that among other things that she had no knowledge of the check or the matter entirely, that she had done nothing wrong, and that she did not have to answer any questions and she never provided an explanation to the Council nor the citizens of Wrightsville.

After the Interim Counsel for the City of Wrightsville was asked to investigate the matter and after speaking with the U. S. Attorney’s office and the attorney in charge of Mayor Smith’s case, due to findings of at least one F.B.I investigation, Mayor Smith was approached with at least one incident where it was noted that the mayor had illegally diverted funds from a City of Wrightsville’s account(s) to an account(s) that she personally used. The specific account numbers, number of transaction(s) and the date(s) of the transaction(s) that were used in the diversion of these funds were not provided. To include the specific violation(s) of the federal criminal offense(s) were also not provided.

On May 5, 2009, during a regularly scheduled Wrightsville City Council Meeting, The former Mayor, Lorraine Smith stepped down or rather announced that she was retiring as of that date.

The F.B.I. Agent that was aggressively working the case, investigating possible corruption and conspiracy concerning the city of Wrightsville and the unincorporated areas in the South East of Pulaski County in which Wrightsville, Arkansas sits in the middle, was conveniently transferred to Virginia.

We have documented evidence that The State Legislative Auditors falsified the first audit ever performed on The City of Wrightsville since 1998. This audit, which was only done after repeated discrepancies and financial records and illegal activity were pointed out. Although the audit report only showed minor discrepancies despite the past 10 years, every procedures report that was performed instead of an audit showed major discrepancies and major illegal findings.

After court requested documents and correspondence through FOIA, we discovered through emails between the auditors that they found the things we reported and pointed out to them. We have emails with discussions between the auditors, the banks, the CPA, and the former Recorder Treasurer, Maybelline Hansberry and Sammy Hicks, whom happen to be first cousins; showed that they worked together to cover up the findings.

When the Auditors were confronted with the evidence in the presence of The Legislative Auditing Committee we were dismissed and the audit was passed to be certified as accurate. All attempts to bring this matter and other illegal and unethical activities to Law Enforcement, Elected Officials and other agencies have basically been ignored and swept under the rug. This situation reeks of a conspiracy and cover-up. We are aware that these are serious accusations; however we have more than enough documentation and evidence that will take 100’s of pages of facts, explanations and documentations to substantiate this claim.

To include the long time computer technician Casey Roberts with Global Professional Services of Sherwood, Arkansas who has been working with the City of Wrightsville computer for approximately several years prior to Patricia Rogers-Ward being elected for City Recorder-Treasurer in January of this year 2009; this computer consultant unlawfully compromised the city’s computers by hacking into the system and deleting files, folders, software and the video camera. When this was reported to the Arkansas State Police, Major Cleve Barfield the Criminal Investigation Division Commander mailed a statement advising Interim Mayor Ward that a preliminary inquiry by his office indicated that the circumstances she wish to be investigated was civil and not criminal in nature and they will not conduct an investigation.

However, we had to go through hoops to locate a forensics data recovery person in order to tell us what, when and how these things were done. When this was announced in the last regular public City Council meeting that the Interim Mayor was getting a forensics person to check these allegations out, this resulted in an up roar as well because they wanted to know why this has to happen when it was stated that these allegations did not take place.

Last week the forensics guy recovered just about all of the deleted files and showed where Mr. Roberts took drastic measures to cover his tracks, but the forensics guy was able to prove that the city’s computer was hacked after Mr. Casey was notified that his company’s services would no longer be used again by this city. And that he was not allowed back into City Hall or the police would be notified. Forensics guy also showed where he compromised and hacked into my personal computer as well.

Also, as the forensics guy was on the phone with the security cameras technical support person just last week for the city’s security camera trying to gain access to the security camera; Mr. Casey Roberts hacked into the camera while they were on the phone and saw this first hand. All of this information was noted, printed and we are waiting on the forensics report that will be ready within the next 24 hours to date.

Although, I am not a current resident of Wrightsville at this time, I have a major desire and concern to see this city go forward and not remain in this same condition as it has for the past 20 plus years.

I started as a volunteer in order to help the Interim Mayor Patricia Rogers of the city of Wrightsville, Arkansas get this city in working order and trying to start some major development here to grow her home town or place of residence; however; since she has become Interim Mayor, we have been going thru unnecessary nonsense every single day, trying to run her out of City Hall for exposing the former Mayor and others.

Because of what has occurred and still occurring daily, it is not safe or feasible to send this statement to any locals here of this state. We have tried this prior to and have gotten nowhere. We are afraid and are at whit’s end not knowing what to do or who to turn to. We would appreciate any information you can give us and will of course keep it in the strictest confidence. Your urgency is needed ASAP!

Thank you in advance for any help that may be forthcoming.

Sincerely,

Sonja Jefferson
Temporary Interim Mayor’s Assistant