18 Dec 2012
December has been a bad month for Shon Washington, ex-head of the Christmas Bureau of Austin and Travis County. Earlier this month, a temporary restraining order was issued freezing the assets of the Austin charity. And last week Washington was arrested on a number of charges unrelated to the charity, including possession of amphetamine.
The Christmas Bureau has been in operation for the last 20 years, providing assistance during the holiday season to needy families. The long-time head of the charity, Alma Cruz, died last year, and Washington succeeded to her position. In November, while the organization’s website was still up and accepting donations, traditional partners such as Operation Blue Santa had not heard from the Bureau. In addition, the phone was disconnected and the listed address was an empty building. Questions also arose concerning the destination of the funds that had been donated. Eventually, the Attorney General’s Office asked the court to freeze the charity’s assets, a request that was granted in December. The investigation is ongoing.
In the meantime, Mr. Washington, who was listed on the website as President of the Bureau, was arrested last week on unrelated charges after he allegedly ran a traffic light. Police say Washington presented a fake i.d. to the officer who pulled him over, and that over a gram of amphetamine was found in his vehicle. His true identity, they add, was discovered during a fingerprint check. Finally, police say that Washington has at least eight prior convictions on various charges, including theft, forgery, burglary and credit card abuse.
The possession of amphetamine, a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance, is a serious matter. If you are convicted of possessing just one gram or more (but less than four grams), you are looking at a third degree felony charge.
We obviously can’t comment on the accuracy of the charges in Washington’s case. We do believe, however, that many non-drug offenses are in fact connected to the abuse of illegal drugs.
If you have been charged with a drug offense, contact us for a free, confidential consultation.
Law Office of David D. White, PLLC
1205 Rio Grande Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 369-3737