DID RICK CRISMAN GET YOUR OLD DRIVER'S LICENSE?

From documents recently obtained from the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration, it appears that Rick Crisman, the former deputy director of the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (and a certified law enforcement officer), improperly obtained driver's licenses that individuals that had moved to NW Arkansas from other states exchanged for an Arkansas driver's license.

CLICK TO VIEW DL'S CRISMAN SOMEHOW ACQUIRED

According to sources at DFA/Revenue, when a licensed driver from another state moves to Arkansas and goes to a local revenue office to obtain an Arkansas driver's license, they turn in the license from the other state. The revenue officer then enters the old license information into the computer for a report to be sent to the other state that the individual was issued an Arkansas driver's license. The old license is then shredded.

Crisman worked out of the Fayetteville Revenue Office at 965 S. Razorback Road, Suite 2.

According to an employee at the Fayetteville Revenue Office, it is standard procedure to shred all licenses from other states turned in by individuals when they obtain an Arkansas driver's license. The employee could not provide any information as to how Crisman obtained the licenses he had in his possession at the time of his resignation.

This blog was able to make contact with several of the individuals whose license was found in the possession of Crisman when he resigned.  All of the individuals we contacted told us that they had relocated to NW Arkansas and turned in the driver's license that had been issued to them by another state in exchange for an Arkansas driver's license. All of the individuals contacted expressed shock and dismay that their "old" license had not been destroyed and had somehow made its way into Crisman's hands.

We contacted the Department of Finance and Administration for a response, but they have not replied.

Exactly how did Crisman get hold of these driver's licenses that are supposed to be destroyed?  Did he ask the Revenue office employees if he could have them? Did the Revenue office tell these individuals their old license might be given out to some other state agency or individual? If so what DFA policy or state law permits DFA to that and for Crisman to obtain them from the Revenue office. Did Crisman just take them out of a shred box without seeking or obtaining authorization?

How can the Department of Finance & Administration assure the public that they properly handle personal information obtained from clients or keep other confidential documents from the prying hands of identity thieves or crooked employees?

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If you are one of the individuals that had their old driver's license appropriated by Rick Crisman and are upset, contact Larry Walther, the head of the Department of Finance & Administration:

 larry.walther@dfa.arkansas.gov

501-682-2242

MOBILE APP INFORMATION RELATES THAT ABC RESOURCES WERE USED

Call the DFA and ABC and demand to know why they refused to fire Crisman and instead let him resign.


Larry Walther /DFA Director - 501- 682-2242

Joel DiPippa / DFA Revenue Legal Counsel -501-683-1536

Bud Roberts / ABC Director - 501-682-1105


The State of Arkansas should take action against Crisman and seek forfeiture of assets from proceeds from the Mobile ID Guide in which Crisman used material obtained in working at the ABC for his own personal gain and benefit in violation of state laws.

ABC UNDERCOVER MINOR

JOEL COLEMAN -FORMER ABC UNDERCOVER MINOR

Joel Coleman was an undercover minor for the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control from November 2008 through November 2010 when he was 17 and 18 years old at Lakeside High School in Hot Springs. Coleman had acting experience which made him a good fit for ABC undercover activity.

CLICK TO VIEW COLEMAN'S RESUME

The use of an under-age agent to attempt to purchase alcohol is extremely questionable and some would argue that it is a form of entrapment or a sting operation.

Entrapment vs. Opportunity.The key aspect of entrapment is this: Government agents do not entrap defendants simply by offering them an opportunity to commit a crime. Judges expect people to resist any ordinary temptation to violate the law. An entrapment defense arises when government agents resort to repugnant behavior such as the use of threats, harassment, fraud, or even flattery to induce defendants to commit crimes.

The Texas ABC has this posted on their website: 

"Our experience with the use of minor stings has shown us that by and large, retailers are responsible when it comes to the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors. While minor stings may be a controversial law enforcement tool, it is nonetheless an excellent means of combating the problems associated with the unlawful purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages by young Texans".

John Hinman, a San Francisco lawyer who defends alcohol industry interests, said this about law enforcement agencies using undercover minors.  "Deception has been the goal"..."police use old-appearing decoys; decoys dress up in suits, wear make-up, take briefcases. . . .it's pure entrapment." 

Did the ABC use false identification to assist their undercover agents?

The ABC is part of the Department of Finance & Administration and it would be

easy to obtain a real bogus ID from their Driver Services.  Or the ABC could have used the tools collected by their former deputy director, Rick Crisman to create their own fake ID's or purchase one from ID Chief.com.

As Crisman pointed out in his letters seeking ID's from all the states to use in his smartphone application, there are places to obtain realistic fake ID's.

There are also photoshop templates available for purchase via the Internet.

An outside agency needs to review the operations of the ABC.  An agency that would permit an employee to break the law as Rick Crisman did, is capable of other nefarious acts.

ABC EMPLOYEE OF THE WEEK - JERRELL SMITH

JERRELL SMITH

Jerrell Lynn Smith is 44 years old and has been employed since May 2010 by the ABC as an Enforcement Officer. Jerrell is married and lives in Fredonia also known as Biscoe.

Jerrell likes the outdoors. He enjoys boating and camping.

Jerrell also likes to hike now that he quit smoking. A few more miles and he'll loose that belly!

Jerrell like to take selfies wearing silly headgear...

and with his shirt off...

Jerrell uses the alias 'popo50us' on the interwebs.  It's his Facebook "name" and he uses it on message boards and Youtube. 

CLICK FOR JERRELL'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

What would Jerrell want to use a voice changer and caller ID spoofer for? 

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Jerrell secretly wants to be on the TV show Naked and Afraid.

When Jerrell retires he wants to open a beauty salon.

ETHICS COMMISSION OPENS INVESTIGATION ON RICK CRISMAN

The Arkansas Ethics Commission has opened an investigation regarding the
activities of the ABC's former deputy director Rick Crisman.

Crisman used his position as ABC Deputy Director to obtain information that was used in a smartphone application he developed and sold on Google Play and Itunes.

Crisman resigned during an internal investigation by DFA/ABC.

Perhaps the Department of Finance and Administration should look at when the ABC Director first learned about Crisman's activities and why he chose to look the other way.


ETHICS COMMISSION DOCUMENT

THROWBACK THURSDAY

ABC Director Bud Roberts holding hands with a brass monkey back in 2013.

CLICK TO HEAR BRASS MONKEY 

ABC EMPLOYEE OF THE WEEK - MARY ROBIN CASTEEL

MARY ROBIN CASTEEL (at work)

MARY ROBIN CASTEEL (at home)

Mary is 36 years old and has worked at the ABC since January 2013 and is one of the two staff attorney's.

Before joining the gang at ABC, Mary was the staff attorney at the Arkansas Municipal League for about 8 months (June 2012 - January 2013) and was one of the many attorneys foreclosing homes of poor Arkansans at Wilson & Associates, for almost 8 years (August 2004 - June 2012). 

Mary hails from Pine Bluff (also know as Crime Bluff) where her father is one of the big dogs with Simmons First National Bank.

Mary recently purchased a pricey east side condo ($329,000.00) at the Rivermarket Tower in downtown Little Rock. Not too shabby for a state employee with an annual salary of $67,296.74. The last condo Mary purchased in 2010 cost $173,000.  Mary's movin' on up!  CLICK TO LISTEN TO MOVIN' ON UP

CLICK TO CHECK OUT MARY'S CRIB


Mary is quite the socialite.  You can often find her picture in Little Rock Soirée, 
attending a Young Democrat, Quapaw Quarter Association or other hoity toity event.

Mary likes dogs...

walking on the beach...

and tweeting.

Some of Mary's favorite restaurants are Little Rock Pasta Company, Dizzy's Gypsy Bistro, Samantha's Tap Room & Grill, Damgoode Pies, Piro Brick Oven & Barroom and Lulav modern Eatery.

Little know facts about Mary:

Mary likes Lucky Charms cereal.

Mary like Tim Tebow.

Mary has served as the acting director of ABC.