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Planned Century Industry Boss Waives Extradition On Alabama Financial Crime Charges
September 29, 2011
James Leonard Craft — the man behind up to 500 jobs announced last year that never materialized in Century — has waived extradition to Alabama to face multiple financial and fraud charges.
For now, the 71-year old remains behind bars in Santa Rosa County, and he’s likely to be there for at least another week.
“He’s waived extradition back to Alabama,” Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday. “Alabama authorities are expected to pick him on up October 7.”
Craft was arrested without incident September 23 and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail. He will be transported to Etowah County, Alabama, to face multiple felony charges.
At last report, Craft was the manager of Century Lumber and Land, a company that held a ribbon cutting back in October 2010 for a group of new businesses that planned to locate in Century’s vacant Alger Sullivan Lumber Company property and bring up to 500 jobs to the struggling town. According to Workforce Escarosa, over 3,000 people have applied for those jobs as of earlier this year.
Sgt. Steven Hooks with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office declined to specify exactly what securities fraud and financial charges Craft faces.
“He was indicted by a grand jury in Etowah County,” Hooks said last week, “and the exact charges are not public record until he is returned here and the warrant is served.” Craft’s bond is expected to be set at $30,000 once he is formally booked into the Etowah County Jail in Gasden, Alabama.
In a public order in late 2010, the Alabama Securities Commission ordered Century Lumber and Land, LLC and James Craft to cease and desist from offering or selling financial securities, within or from the state of Alabama after an alleged attempt to solicit an investment without a license for a wood products business.
Late Friday, Dan Lord, public affairs manager for the Alabama Securities Commission, referred NorthEsambia.com to the cease and desist order that names Craft and Century Lumber and Land. He declined to say if Craft’s indictment in Etowah County was related to the 2010 Alabama Securities Commission order.
Pictured top: The October 22, 2010, ribbon cutting for Century Lumber and Land. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
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