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David Freeman---Cabinet Maker Update
Comments | RecommendTwo years ago, a NewsChannel Nine Investigation resulted in the arrest of a cabinet salesman.
David Freeman was told to pay his victims back, but Calvin says, it's quite possible it'll be a long time before those victims see ANY money at all.
Victims told me this man could charm the rattles off a rattlesnake.. and THAT'S what the victims are calling him..
Custom cabinet salesman David Freeman is paying for ripping them off..
But, most of his victims, are paying for it, too..
That's where our NewsChannel 9 investigation continues.
Many homeowners call David Freeman a scam artist..
"I think that he's a schemer," says victim Vivian Putman, "to say the least."
Prosecutors say he's much worse than that..
"It's incredible, Calvin," says assistant Hamilton County District Attorney Boyd Patterson, "it's something where there are white collar criminals, but this guy is in a different league."
Our NewsChannel Nine investigation of cabinet maker David Freeman began about three years ago..
Vivian Putnam is one of many homeowners in Hamilton County who paid Freeman thousands of dollars for custom made cabinets that were never made..
"He left us with what we had years ago," says Ms. Putnam, "and that was what I was trying to get away form."
At the same time, prosecutors say Freeman was also busy ripping off people in Rhea and Sequatchie Counties..
"I saw it on your show," says victim Robert Johnson..
These four homeowners ALSO paid for cabinets they didn't get..
Word of mouth about Freeman was spreading fast..
Catoosa County and Walker County ALSO had victims, because Freeman wasn't calling anybody back..
"Actually after seeing your show," says attorney Ronald Roach, "(my victim) Mr. McDonald is pursuing charges."
And in the strangest twist of all, our investigation THEN discovered that Freeman had been previously convicted in Whitfield County, Georgia for writing 20-thousand dollars in bad checks..
"These were felony offenses," said probation officer Cindy McClure two years ago, "he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation."
All of that was BEFORE he'd met ANY of the Tennessee people who would eventually become his victims..
A Whitfield County judge ordered Freeman to make the bad checks good...
"He paid a little bit of restitution," says Whitfield County District Attorney Kermit McManus, "then he didn't pay any more."
Apparently, Georgia was not aware of Freeman's arrests in Tennessee..
Our tips, led Georgiainvestigators to re-evaluate Freeman's probation status..
"We certainly appreciate your information," said Ms. McClure, "as we do anybody in the public that assists us."
Turns out, it's quite possible that Georgia may not have ever known that Freeman was in trouble in Tennessee.. our continuing investigation has turned up a serious flaw in the legal system..
"There just not a line of communication that established between district attorney offices or even police agencies," says Mr. McManus, "other than just general crime information computers once a person is convicted."
Mr. McManus says when a suspect FIRST encounters the legal system, there needs to be a connection between neighboring prosecutors, "to keep people from slipping through the cracks," he says..
Meanwhile, Freeman has been convicted in Hamilton County, Rhea County, Catoosa County, and Walker County, AND he's been ordered to return more than 76-thousand dollars to his Tennessee and Georgia victims.
"He stole so much money from so many people," says Mr. Patterson, "I'd be blown away if he doesn't have some money socked away somewhere."
Freeman is currently serving time in a state prison near Atlanta on those Whitfield County bad check charges.
Many victims are waiting to see if they'll ever get all of their money back..
"I was really discouraged because I went through so much," says Ms. Putnam, "and I really thank you for what assistance you provided."
So WHERE'S THE MONEY?
Those thousands of dollars Freeman got from people to build cabinets?..
Nobody knows but Freeman, and he ain't talking..
Assistant D-A Boyd Patterson says, if Freeman DOES have a secret stash somewhere, he'd better start dipping into it to pay these people back, otherwise, he'll go to a TENNESSEE prison, once Georgia lets him go..
By the way, Freeman's court date on the North Carolina charges will be September 27th, problem is, he'll still be in the Georgia prison system then..
And right now, we're told there's a pilot program in middle Georgia going on right now to connect the various district attorney offices there, but until the State of Georgia, or Tennessee for that matter, steps up and says, this is what we wanna do, and this is how we'll fund it, prosecutors will just have to hope they get phone calls from each other..
http://www.newschannel9.com/articles/freeman-6435-says-county.html?wap=1
David Freeman---Cabinet Maker Update
September 11, 2006 - 8:32 PM
Calvin Sneed
Two years ago, a NewsChannel Nine Investigation resulted in the arrest of a cabinet salesman.
David Freeman was told to pay his victims back, but Calvin says, it's quite possible it'll be a long time before those victims see ANY money at all.
Victims told me this man could charm the rattles off a rattlesnake.. and THAT'S what the victims are calling him..
Custom cabinet salesman David Freeman is paying for ripping them off..
But, most of his victims, are paying for it, too..
That's where our NewsChannel 9 investigation continues.
Many homeowners call David Freeman a scam artist..
"I think that he's a schemer," says victim Vivian Putman, "to say the least."
Prosecutors say he's much worse than that..
"It's incredible, Calvin," says assistant Hamilton County District Attorney Boyd Patterson, "it's something where there are white collar criminals, but this guy is in a different league."
Our NewsChannel Nine investigation of cabinet maker David Freeman began about three years ago..
Vivian Putnam is one of many homeowners in Hamilton County who paid Freeman thousands of dollars for custom made cabinets that were never made..
"He left us with what we had years ago," says Ms. Putnam, "and that was what I was trying to get away form."
At the same time, prosecutors say Freeman was also busy ripping off people in Rhea and Sequatchie Counties..
"I saw it on your show," says victim Robert Johnson..
These four homeowners ALSO paid for cabinets they didn't get..
Word of mouth about Freeman was spreading fast..
Catoosa County and Walker County ALSO had victims, because Freeman wasn't calling anybody back..
"Actually after seeing your show," says attorney Ronald Roach, "(my victim) Mr. McDonald is pursuing charges."
And in the strangest twist of all, our investigation THEN discovered that Freeman had been previously convicted in Whitfield County, Georgia for writing 20-thousand dollars in bad checks..
"These were felony offenses," said probation officer Cindy McClure two years ago, "he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation."
All of that was BEFORE he'd met ANY of the Tennessee people who would eventually become his victims..
A Whitfield County judge ordered Freeman to make the bad checks good...
"He paid a little bit of restitution," says Whitfield County District Attorney Kermit McManus, "then he didn't pay any more."
Apparently, Georgia was not aware of Freeman's arrests in Tennessee..
Our tips, led Georgiainvestigators to re-evaluate Freeman's probation status..
"We certainly appreciate your information," said Ms. McClure, "as we do anybody in the public that assists us."
Turns out, it's quite possible that Georgia may not have ever known that Freeman was in trouble in Tennessee.. our continuing investigation has turned up a serious flaw in the legal system..
"There just not a line of communication that established between district attorney offices or even police agencies," says Mr. McManus, "other than just general crime information computers once a person is convicted."
Mr. McManus says when a suspect FIRST encounters the legal system, there needs to be a connection between neighboring prosecutors, "to keep people from slipping through the cracks," he says..
Meanwhile, Freeman has been convicted in Hamilton County, Rhea County, Catoosa County, and Walker County, AND he's been ordered to return more than 76-thousand dollars to his Tennessee and Georgia victims.
"He stole so much money from so many people," says Mr. Patterson, "I'd be blown away if he doesn't have some money socked away somewhere."
Freeman is currently serving time in a state prison near Atlanta on those Whitfield County bad check charges.
Many victims are waiting to see if they'll ever get all of their money back..
"I was really discouraged because I went through so much," says Ms. Putnam, "and I really thank you for what assistance you provided."
So WHERE'S THE MONEY?
Those thousands of dollars Freeman got from people to build cabinets?..
Nobody knows but Freeman, and he ain't talking..
Assistant D-A Boyd Patterson says, if Freeman DOES have a secret stash somewhere, he'd better start dipping into it to pay these people back, otherwise, he'll go to a TENNESSEE prison, once Georgia lets him go..
By the way, Freeman's court date on the North Carolina charges will be September 27th, problem is, he'll still be in the Georgia prison system then..
And right now, we're told there's a pilot program in middle Georgia going on right now to connect the various district attorney offices there, but until the State of Georgia, or Tennessee for that matter, steps up and says, this is what we wanna do, and this is how we'll fund it, prosecutors will just have to hope they get phone calls from each other..
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