Convicted former Chief Forrest County Deputy, Charles Bolton and his wife have filed suit against two FBI agents. The lawsuit alleges that Christopher Freeze and Jerome McDuffie slandered the Boltons and caused emotional distress when the two agents,
“misrepresent(ed) as fact that Charles and Linda Bolton had stolen over $700,000 worth of food from the Forrest County jail and diverted such into their businesses.” an April 26, 2017 interview. McDuffie in the interview,
Christopher Freeze said in the WDAM interview of the Boltons,
“They were taking over $700,000 of food that was bought for the jail to be used for the inmates in the jail and then diverting that to their own restaurants, and then selling it, preparing it and selling it to their customers,”
When asked about Mr. Bolton going through the discovery and deposition process, as well as Mr. Bolton going under oath, The Boltons’ Attorney, Mary Lee Holmes, told HPNM
“The Boltons are well aware of the rules of civil procedure, which will require them, if requested, giving a deposition under oath and them answering interrogatories under oath.”
Neither of the Boltons testified in their own defense at trial. Both were convicted of tax crimes, but neither were indicted in the jail food theft conspiracy. Their sentences were enhanced due to currently sealed evidence and sealed testimony that comprises the Pre Sentencing Report (PSR). That testimony includes Jerry Wayne Woodland and Alan Haralson, along with several others.
Both Haralson and Woodland pled guilty to conspiring with “others” to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of food from the Billy McGee Detention Center over a twelve year period. Haralson died a few months after pleading guilty. Woodland served one year followed by house arrest. To learn more search #UnafraidToFeed on Facebook.
The complaint is below
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