QUIET on the SET Children’S Shelter

FRIDAY July 19, 2019 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER 75 cents Florida woman gets 10-year sentence for identity fraud BY JAMES SWIFT bers to then buy either merchan- were arrested on Sept 15. A sub- bation. stealing somebody’s money from [email protected] dise or gift cards,” said Cherokee sequent search of their vehicle “It’s very diffi cult to get res- them by stealing their debit card. Judicial Circuit Assistant District turned up less than an ounce of titution out of her unless she’s Our whole society is driven by A Tampa, Florida, woman was Attorney Jana W. Allen. marijuana and at least 10 checks got some State probation,” Judge these things now, so there has to sentenced to 10 years — with the According to Allen, Perkins written in what Allen described Smith said. “It’s going to be a be some kind of punishment for fi rst four years to serve in federal and the co-defendants had an as “a fi ctitious name.” 10, serve-four and the restitution preying on the trust of the sys- prison — after entering a nego- employee on the inside assist Allen said the defendant never will be the condition of the sen- tem.” tiated plea of guilty to 13 counts them with their fi nancial identity bonded out of the Bartow County tence — I’m going to make dou- One of Perkins’ co-defendants, in Bartow Superior Court Tues- transaction card scheme. “They Jail. Rather, she said Perkins went bly sure these people get their Juan Ramon Winter, entered a day morning, including three would let the clerk know, they into federal custody. “I think she money back.” negotiated plea of guilty to 14 counts of identity fraud and sev- were texting back and forth with has about a 48-month sentence in Regardless of the concurrent counts in Bartow Superior Court en counts of fi nancial transaction her, when they were coming,” federal court,” she said. “So what federal prison sentence, Smith last December, for which he re- card fraud. Allen said. we’re recommending is going to said he would not have accepted ceived a 10-year, 12-months-to- Alonia Shameka Perkins, 43, Perkins Prosecutors said Perkins and be four years to serve concurrent a plea offer involving anything serve sentence. Felony conspir- also pleaded guilty to one count her co-defendants stole the fi - … our sentence will allow, if the less than a four-year sentence. acy to commit fi nancial identity of conspiracy to commit identi- an undercover sting operation nancial identity of at least three court will agree, that she can go “This kind of conduct irritates fraud charges against co-defen- ty fraud, one count of forgery in conducted at The Home Depot customers in September 2018. back to federal custody and serve this court beyond belief, that you dant Arthur Orlando Parris were the third degree and one count of at 100 Gentilly Blvd. in Carters- Per Bartow Superior Court doc- it.” cannot go into a store anymore in dropped last November; accord- possessing less than an ounce of ville. uments, the defendant is ordered Cherokee Judicial Circuit this county or this state without ing to Bartow County Sheriff’s marijuana. “They were going in and using to pay $12,753.75 in restitution to Judge D. Scott Smith, however, somebody swiping your infor- Offi ce records, he was released Perkins and two co-defendants stolen Home Depot cards, they the victims. said the sentence would require mation and stealing it from you,” from custody at the Bartow were arrested last fall as part of were using their account num- Perkins and the co-defendants a minimum of six years of pro- he said. “I don’t tolerate people County Jail on Dec. 18, 2018. Gift card campaign underway for QUIET ON THE SET Children’s Shelter BY MARIE NESMITH [email protected] To help equip its residents for the fi rst day of school, Flow- ering Branch Children’s Shelter is conducting a gift card campaign during the month of July. “Our greatest need as we work to prepare for all of our residents to return to school is clothing,” Shelter Director Lyndsey Wilson said. “We serve youth who are in DFCS custody and are runaway or homeless. Our youth in DFCS custody receive a small clothing allowance, but this is often used up quickly. “The residents placed with us are often here for longer than six months, and it is our responsibility to ensure each child is well- dressed and prepared for school. We can’t do this alone, and we really need community support to help us meet this need.” Through the gift card campaign, shelter residents are able to select and personalize wardrobes. The cards also enable Flow- ering Branch’s staff to provide youth with athletic attire to par- ticipate in gym class, shoes for sports’ teams and uniforms for chorus. “In a desire to provide ‘normalcy,’ we host a gift card campaign every July so that our youth are able to pick out their own clothes,” Wilson said. “Many residents may be attending a new school and have apprehension and anxiety about the fi rst day. Gift cards allow them to pick out clothing according to their sizing needs and styling desires. “We hope by allowing them to pick out clothes that this will alleviate the anxiety and boost their confi dence. School may not be a priority for our youth given the crisis that they’re experienc- ing. Any assistance in getting them excited about their education is well worth the investment.” Formed in the 1980s, Advocates for Children assists more than 3,000 area youth and families each year. Along with op- erating Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter, the Cartersville organization provides numerous programs that aid in the aware- ness, prevention and treatment of child abuse. According to http://advochild.org, “Attached to the Advocates for Children administrative offi ces, the Flowering Branch Chil- dren’s Shelter is a residential program for abused, neglected and runaway youth. Its goal is to assess and stabilize these youth in JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS the community by partnering with nonabusing parents, relatives, A portion of Main Street in downtown Cartersville was briefl y closed off Wednesday afternoon for what appeared to be a fi lm foster parents and adoptive families, all while maintaining com- shoot. munity ties, such as original school placement. “The children’s shelter provides a safe, nurturing home for up to [12] children — ages [8]-18 years old — at one time. Res- idents are placed at the shelter through the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) or as runaway homeless youth. Libraries wind up summer reading program SEE ADVOCATES, PAGE 5A BY DONNA HARRIS kids ages 8-12 can register for a spot in one that don’t fi nish in time, the aliens will gain [email protected] of the Friday programs from 11 a.m. to noon control of their ship and vaporize the crews, or from 3 to 4 p.m. in the youth program according to adult services assistant Meghan Next week’s programs at the Bartow room. Stipe. County libraries will close out another The Kids Cook programs have 10 spots “Without ruining any surprises, I will A LA CARTErsville successful summer reading program for left between the two sessions as of Thursday, say that participants will be given clues to the system. according to Shalin. crack codes, open locked compartments Puppeteer Peter Hart from Atlanta Pup- Shalin said asteroid cookies worked well and uncover hidden secrets,” she said, pet will bring his hilarious Animalympics with the library’s summer reading program noting she’ll have two separate rooms show to the county Thursday for two per- theme “A Universe of Stories.” running simultaneously. “Come ready formances, from 11 a.m. to noon in the “They are easy to make, delicious and look to think critically and use your imagina- Nathan Dean Meeting Room at the Car- like space rocks,” he said. “They fi t into the tion. Teams will be working through these tersville Public Library at 429 W. Main St. space theme perfectly.” challenges to beat the alien invaders and and from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the meeting Library assistant Jesse Lee will show the save their ships.” room at the Adairsville Public Library at young people how to turn butter, brown sug- Stipe said Adult Services Coordinator Ni- 202 N. Main St. ar, peanut butter, oats and cocoa powder into cole Klein hosted an escape room last year “We haven’t had Peter at our library in a a tasty treat that’s out of this world. that was a hit with library patrons and staff while, and we thought it would be a funny Parents and teens should notify the library members. and fantastic program to end the summer staff of any food allergies. “I ran through it with a couple of other with,” Youth Services Coordinator Thomas Adults who want to get in on the galac- employees as a test before we opened, and Shalin said. tic fun can sign up for the last Sci-Fi Friday we had a lot of fun,” she said. “We were Kids and teens also will have a chance to event of the summer, the End of SRP Alien planning [this year’s escape room] as a fi - whip up a batch of asteroid cookies during Attack Escape Room, Friday from noon to 8 nal blowout for summer reading, since it is a next week’s Teen Chefs and Kids Cook pro- p.m.

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