Former Fairbanks Mayor Jim Hayes, wife report to prison in Texas
Originally published Monday, June 16, 2008 at 11:06 a.m.
Updated Monday, June 16, 2008 at 11:29 p.m.
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FAIRBANKS — Former Fairbanks city Mayor Jim Hayes and his wife have reported to jail in Fort Worth, Texas, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Jim Hayes, found guilty by a jury this spring of helping Murilda “Chris” Hayes, his wife, steal money from social-service grants for their church and for personal spending, reported Wednesday to the low-security Federal Correctional Institution, bureau spokeswoman Felicia Ponce said.
Chris Hayes, who pleaded guilty early last winter to two charges in the case, reported Wednesday to the prison-run Carswell Federal Medical Center, Ponce said. Carswell is located on a naval air station and provides medical and mental health services for women, according to the prison bureau’s Web site.
A federal judge in May sentenced Jim Hayes, 62, to five and a half years and Chris Hayes, 57, to three years in prison, respectively, for stealing from the social-service grants, hiding the thefts through money laundering and, in Jim Hayes’ case, filing false tax returns.
The former mayor’s attorney has initiated an appeal of the conviction and said last month he expects lawyers on both sides could start submitting briefs to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in August.
Low-security federal prisons typically have strong inmate-to-work programs and lower staff-to-inmate ratios than high-security prisons, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
The low-security jail for men had an inmate population of 1,797 as of Thursday, while the women’s medical center, including its satellite facility, had an inmate population of 1,860 as of Thursday, Ponce said.
The women’s Carswell facility houses prisoners from across the spectrum of offenses, Ponce said.
“So they could have anywhere from low-security to high-security inmates,” she said.
Ponce said all inmates in the federal system who are medically able to work are required to hold an in-facility job mimicking a regular work week. The jobs normally pay between 12 cents and 14 cents an hour, she said.
“Some of the jobs would be food service, groundskeeper, warehouse, painter, plumber,” she said.
During the couple’s sentencing proceedings in May, Jim Hayes laid blame for the thefts on an unidentified mental issue afflicting his wife, an effort that sparked disapproval from the judge. A psychiatrist said at the sentencing that Chris Hayes has suffered from depression since the fall.
Ponce said the federal prison system does not include parole, but inmates can earn 50 days or more of credit per year for “good time” served that can be cashed in at the end of their respective sentences.
While the men’s prison is classified as low-security, it is still — as are all other prisons in the federal system — a far stretch from the mythical “country club” prisons some people mistakenly believe house high-profile, white-collar criminals, said Gary Cohen, a private practice lawyer in Austin, Texas, who focuses on parole issues.
Cohen also, however, said low-security prisons are well-run and offer inmates time and room for exercise, job training and other ventures when compared to other jails in federal or state systems.
“They’re basically set up as a college campus with a wall around them,” he said by phone Monday. “Inmates pretty much have a lot of freedom, relatively speaking.”
Community Discussion
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Agreed.
Right, and lets hope for lower energy cost as well. Probably a better chance of that.
They were crooks...period. Too bad the indians got Alcatraz back.
general population
must be nice both got to go the same country club its the only federal prison that i have heard that liveing their is better than at home i wonder how much time they spent researching witch one to go to out their they have a golf course and probley new e-mail address is " jim hayes"@u.s.federal prison fortworth.us.gov i wonder how many letters our good old ted sent to help the hayes out
SPUD: please, at least ATTEMPT to not drink so early in the a.m...
Way to blame all this on others Mr. Jim. I see it now, Have the wife Plead guilty then the COWARD Mr. Jim claims he didn't know anything about this and runs for governor. Stand up like a man Mr. Jim and do your time. This persons deceptive ways have finally caught up to him. I've known Jimmy since he and his mother came to Fairbanks in the early 1950's he was 9 and I was 10 he deserves every day he gets plus resitution. I know Jimmy Hayes to be a cheat, a sneak, liar, bully, thief and now finally in the end a COWARD ! Now the man of the house and Pastor tries to blame all of this on his wife, how about taking a look at youself. You finally got caugth Mr. Jim, I pray the judge that looks at this case sees right through you and denies any appeal !
burke -- you have got to be kidding! Not only are we feeding, housing, clothing and entertaining the federal prisoners, we are PAYING them to be there.
Not a single person who enters a federal penitentiary, or even a county jail, is enslaved or forced to be there. These guests of the taxpayers knew the ramifications of their actions before those acts were committed, they just hoped they wouldn't get caught. I say let them clean the roadways, tar roofs, make license plates, and break rocks. And stop paying them for the simple jobs they do. Maybe if prison/jail were less opportunistic and more like a prison, fewer people would want to go back.
PENAL SLAVES -- yeah right. It's the largest free room and board facility chain on the face of the planet.
Burke, They pay between 12 and 14 cents an hour because the people are in jail!. I seriously doubt that Federal Wage and Hour laws cover prisoner labor. Any legislation or policy change that mandates paying prisoners Federal Minimum Wage should immediately be followed with legislation or policy changes that mandate garnishing all prisoner wages for cost of incarceration.
Good job Christopher Eshleman and the Daily New Miner you've done a excellent job of investigating and keeping the citizenery informed on what's going on with this case. Please keep us informed on how Mr Jimmy is progressing with his rehabilitation. Burke prison is for punishment as well for rehabilitation paying prisoners what they could be making in society nigates the punishment side of the equation.
Burke---What are you thinking?!!!! These peaople are criminals!! They stold from you and every other hard working,LAW abiding Alasken. And for this they should be paid??? I also don't remember anything in the history books about "SLAVES" being paid?? I don't know how you could even make the comparison. I've never even heard of "SLAVES" having 3 hot meals a day, clean rooms,sheets,clothing, hot running water.Maybe you think befor you comment!
AMEN "TRIP" THESE ARE THEIVES AND SHOULD BE TREATED WORST THAN SLAVES WHO ARE SOMETIMES CAST IN POSITIONS BEYOND THEIR OWN CONTROL.
emerlon --- I never said that they should be treated WORST then slaves. There is just no comparison between the two. And to my understanding "SLAVES" were always cast into that position and it was never in thier control. There are rules in our society,if you refuse to live by those rules you should have to pay the penalty. Just think about the penalty in alot of other countries in the world. If I were them I'd just be thankful that I still had my hands.
Why was the comments section closed in regards to the Jewelz nutter case. I have to say shame on you DNM. From what i read this is clearly something that Fairbankians want to weigh in on. All other comments sections are opened but from the repeated censorship that you have done to the comments there its clear that our opinions are only valid and matter when they fit into what you feel the people should read. I believe thats called censoring the press and im pretty sure that right is still in action. I demand that the comments section be reopened in regards to the Jewelz quitting her job article so the people can continue to weigh in on the issue. All others who agree with me i ask that you keep making requests in the same light on variouse article in this paper unitl the paper allows us their readers to have our voice back. I intend to post a comment at least one half hour randomly around this paper in regards to the jewelz case until we are allowed to continue to voice our opinions. And DNM in case your considering trying to stop me, registering with your paper is free as well as getting a hotmail account so if you delete me posts ill repost and if you shut down my account ill just go get another one. Good luck censoring me.
it is too bad that they didnt get more time. they are low life theives
Burke please take off your rose colored glasses. Cause you not only had the audicity to say something that naive once but 3 times. Come on now. The Hayes' stole, misapproriated and abused grant monies; that comes from hard working Alaskans like myself who work 60 hours a week to make ends meet. Now how I see it is that yes they deserve every day in jail they got plus an additional 10 or so years. A politician, a social worker, a pastor An Alaskan, knowingly defrauded and abused their positions to use "Hard Working Alaskans Monies" to enrich their church and home. Mr & Mrs Hayes I wish you God Speed and Mercy during their time in jail. And matter of fact they owe me some money. Turn that church over to the community.
It is about time for them to go to jail. I hope their appeals fail!!
Google this -
Ted Stevens provided over $2.8 million over five years in specific congressional earmarks for the LOVE Social Services youth program that Jim Hayes' son managed.
James Hayes Jr. lived in Ted Stevens' house in Washington DC while he was an aide to Stevens, and while attending Georgetown Law School.
Where is his son??? Probably living in Vegas rolling in the dough.
Burke,
Crime does not pay. Again, I repeat a previous post. Maybe you are breaking the law and hoping that "we the people" will give you $5.00 an hour when you get caught.
We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, will give criminals a fitting establishment in which they may serve the keeper of the night. That keeper shall be called Warden.
FCI – Fort Worth, allows prisoners to walk around freely; they are not kept in cells 24 hours a day. If you would like to donate to the Jim foundation, please go to http://www.bop.gov/inmate_programs/money... and donate your personal funds to inmate 14804-006.
Please forward my congratulations to him for winning the Bubba’s Best Friend Award. Also, forward these top 10 recommendations.
1. Purchase soap on a rope.
2. Watch this hilarious video http://veryfunnyads.com/ads/24763.html (some inmates are really this dumb)
3. Sleep standing up.
4.Take your wife’s advice in the future.
5. Have a little talk with Jesus. I know it’s been years but, now is a good time to start.
6. Think about how much money you’re saving on gas this year.
7. Call Burk about raising the pay.
8. File your taxes next time.
9. Buy a jar of Vaseline Prison Transition Care.
10. Apologize to every family member, friend, relative, you have ever known. You can’t fake being one of God’s leaders without being called on the carpet by God. Wow, you are a testimony of what not to do.
Truth
Jim Hayes's actions should be investigated for the years he spent as mayor in Fairbank. I know he didn't start being a theif after he left the mayors office.
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