Thursday, September 26, 2019

2nd MDOT Employee Arrested for Embezzlement

Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following statement. 


A former employee of the Mississippi Department of Transportation was booked into the Hinds County jail following an indictment charging him with embezzlement, announced Attorney General Jim Hood. 


Jarrod Wayne Ravencraft, 49, of Jackson, turned himself in to authorities Wednesday following his indictment by a Hinds County grand jury on one count of embezzlement. Ravencraft is accused of converting to his own use more than $10,000 in gift cards between June 2017 through March 2018 while employed by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The gift cards were the property of the department.

If convicted, Ravencraft faces up to 20 years in prison. A charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case was investigated by Larry Ware of the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division. Assistant Attorney General Stanley Alexander will handle prosecution.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

A quick background investigation of Ravencraft would show a history of bad behavior. Including a very similar incident while working for the MS health care association. Lots of jobs and they don’t seem to last long. Anyone know if Mississippi College has commented? I am sure they aren’t too happy with the press. He appears to be an instructor there.

And why does MDOT have thousands of dollars in gift cards lying around?

Anonymous said...

Maybe if the MS Attorney General was up for election every year, the citizens of MS could see some effort to clean up government corruption. How about an elected official or two?

Anonymous said...

Why does MDOT even have “Gift” cards. What are they usually used for?

Anonymous said...

Pray tell why MDOT has gift cards

Anonymous said...

Why does MDOT have $10,000 in gift cards?

Anonymous said...

Serious question, why did MDOT have these gift cards? Was it for an employee recognition program or similar? Anything else would be kind of hard to explain/justify.

Anonymous said...

Anybody wonder why MDOT had over $10,000 in gift cards and what they were supposed to be used for?Maybe there is a bigger story here.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone understand why the MDOT has gift cards at all?

Anonymous said...

Please allow me to pile on....why the hell does MDOT have this much tied up in gift cards?

Anonymous said...

What’s a gift card?

Asking for a hoo... I meant friend.

Anonymous said...

If little ole Jarrod Wayne made off with only $10k before being caught, it makes you wonder what the TOTAL ##/$$ of gift-cards at MDOT.. and OTHER STATE AGENCIES WOULD BE...?!

bill said...

The gift cards were for teachers who completed some MDOT safety course. A hundred bucks a pop.

Anonymous said...

So, does that mean 1) the teachers were paid (by taxpayers) to attend, 2) MDOT was funded/paid (by taxpayers) to hold the course, and 3) the teachers were given a gift card (by taxpayers) as a reward for their attendance?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Fish, you might ask MDOT for the paper trail showing where the gift cards were purchased. You might get an interesting answer or maybe not. Follow the money.

Anonymous said...

How many teachers got this unreported income and how many of them reported it? That’s the only reason you dole out gift cards.

Anonymous said...

Did the Mississippi Transportation Institute pay for the cards? This is a "non-profit" that was organized back in 2000. They have to file a 990 with the IRS. Although, not a state agency, it is operating out of the MDOT building @ 401 North West Street. This is where the road builders and other companies fund various activities, such as conventions, etc. About seven years years ago, the MDOT motor home was in a wreck on Highway 49 South on the way to a convention. MDOT law enforcement was quickly on the scene to remove the liquor and to continue down to the coast convention. Where is Shad White now? Google Mississippi Transportation Institute and see!

Anonymous said...

The gift cards were provided by a local advertising agency called the Godwin Group. My understading is that Ravencraft got rid of the agency MDOT was using, and hired Godwin, at which point gift cards starting appearing. I do not know what the gift cards were for.

Anonymous said...

MDOT needs to get its house in order before it asks for more money. HELLO MDOT! Priority one is spend your resources on your main mission -- build and maintain roadways. Priority two -- enforce the weight limit laws to prevent overweight vehicles from tearing up what you have built. The rest is fluff. Drop the fluff and then tell me how money you actually need and I'll support that effort, but not before you cut the cra and this includes slashing "public relations."

Anonymous said...

Seems like the girlfriend turned on him once she got arrested.

Anonymous said...

“I am thrilled to see Selena representing MDOT with this important recognition,” said MDOT Executive Director Melinda McGrath in a press release. “For someone that displays such strong professional character and commitment to the agency and state she serves, this recognition is well deserved.”

https://www.djournal.com/monroe/news/standifer-named-among-mississippi-s-top-leading-business-women/article_ceb37fbb-f1cc-5057-bb30-e1669e0175a7.html

This aged well.

Anonymous said...

@2:52 p.m., arrestee #1 wasn't Jarrod's girlfriend. You obviously don't know him or you would have switched teams.

Anonymous said...

Wanna reform the state budget?? Start chasing all these small purchases down; the taxpayer is constantly abused by programs (or progrums for those of you in NE Mississippi) that do not comport with an agency's mission or are not authorized by legislation. If you chase down enough of these "small" progrums, it starts to turn into real money.

Cynical Sam said...

Did y'all hear that MDOT is going to lay off some highway workers? Yep, the Chinese recently invented a shovel that stands up by itself.

Anonymous said...

McGrath is an idiot. She is the one who invited TV crews to look under an unsafe bridge, and she conducted the tour, only to be told the next day that the bridge was already repaired and reopened....by Mdot.

Best thing we could do is clean house at MDOT and start over.

Anonymous said...

" About seven years years ago, the MDOT motor home was in a wreck on Highway 49 South on the way to a convention. MDOT law enforcement was quickly on the scene to remove the liquor and to continue down to the coast convention."

I haven't heard that, but I'm not surprised. Was that same weekend their Executive Director Butch Brown got a public drunk after passing out on a Gulf Coast slot machine ?

And thanks to everyone for explaining the gift cards.
That was my first question I had when the story broke.

Lawd have Mercy, they scream louder than the teachers for more money.

Bridges are closed, highways are shit . . . and this agency has thousands of dollars in 'gift cards' to give out to god knows who ?

By all means, Shad White should be all over MDOT.

Anonymous said...

Are the gift cards there to help the two gals in Oxford several years ago buy their beer in an mdot truck

Anonymous said...

You want to stop this level of crime?

Real simple:
1) Mandatory prison time
2) Repay the taxpayers from the offenders PERS account
3) Fire the offender

These problems will end.

Anonymous said...

Well, after reading the questions all the way through, I understand that the gift cards came from Godwin Advertising. Anyone have any idea what size contract allows a vendor to offer that type of bonus? And, why does MDOT need to advertise. Are these the people responsible for the catchy phrases posted on I55 around Jackson like "smell the pumpkin spice"? And how much are we paying them?

Raise our gas tax and give gifts out? Smells funny to me.

Anonymous said...

What's that drunk's name from Natchez who used to have McGrath's job? The one who kept Hall from even having an office in the new building?

Dig deeper. Much deeper. The place is a snake pit of corruption. Much like the Department of Corrections.

Stuff About ZeroBear PolyBear said...

Can't you see the budget meeting discussion where this was submitted.

"Bubba wants to add $40,000.00 to the budget for gift cards."

"Why?"

"Because he can't cash in orange barrels."

"Oh … approved."

Anonymous said...

A state employee one time bragged to me and said they can do anything due to having no accountability. There is too much money being handled by non accountable employees and I do agree that the State Auditor should step in. So.....where is he?

Anonymous said...

I hope he's in Canton, 4:39.

Anonymous said...

9/26 1:50 pm and 4:23 pm - The motor home you're thinking of belonged to the Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol) which is a separate public agency from MDOT. There's nothing illegal about buying the gift cards, but if there are so many questions about how they were purchased or why they were needed, why is Godwin still a vendor for MDOT? As for Ravencraft, I hope he finds out that you reap what you sow. He deserves to have the book thrown at him.

Anonymous said...

The anti-corruption laws are so absent in Mississippi, that I'm almost surprised this is illegal.

KF, I wish you'd do some research into the campaign finance laws and the loopholes, that allow " friends" of candidate to give them very large gifts that don't have to be reported and how candidates can " borrow" money from their campaign funds and business related organizations and their lobbyists can treat those in our government to resort vacations and lavish events or offer them " insider" information. In fact, in the CL records you could find where a past AG's rather large bank loan was entirely forgiven and also giving elected officials ridiculously favorable rates on loans is likely still a practice.

Anonymous said...

The motor home that was wrecked in Mendenhall belonged to MDOT Law Enforcement. The vehicle was being driven to a conference on the coast and had an accident at the light in front of Walmart on Hwy 49.

Anonymous said...

I think I went to MC with him.

Do we have a mugshot?

Anonymous said...

9:12 - You screwed up about which agency owned and was traveling in the motor home. But, you correctly stated 'there's nothing illegal about buying gift cards'. But, what IS illegal is purchasing them, having no accounting system, no tracking, no record of to whom they are awarded or why and the obvious impropriety of not being able to explain their presence or their absence.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.