An attorney caught up in the allegations of corruption at the mental health center pleaded innocent to charges Friday.
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Paul David was arraigned in Richmond County Superior Court on charges of false writings and income tax evasion, each a felony crime punishable by as much as five years in prison.
Mr. David's arraignment follows on the heels of this week's federal indictment of former state representative Robin Williams, two lobbyists and the former executive director of the Mental Health Center of East Central Georgia.
Mr. Williams, C. Michael Brockman, Duncan Fordham and his pharmacy Duncan Drugs, Rick L. Camp and M. Chad Long face federal charges of conspiracy, health care fraud, theft and bribery. They are accused of siphoning about $2 million in funds that were intended to help provide mental health services for area residents.
They have not been notified of a date for their initial appearance and arraignment in U.S. District Court. Mr. David was not named in the federal indictment.
In Richmond County Superior Court he faces charges that while he represented Community Mental Health Center, he misrepresented the funding source for the former executive director's settlement package. Campbell Peery received a $224,000 settlement after leaving the center.
Mr. David also faces a charge that he did not file state tax returns for 2000, 2001 and 2003 and tried to evade paying more than $3,000 in income tax.
A blistering audit by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, which also spurred the federal indictment of the others, criticized Mr. David's arrangement with the mental health center's board.
Mr. David was furnished an office at the center, which also paid for a secretary. According to his indictment, he was paid $50,455 in 2001 and $59,950 in 2002.
Mr. David has been a lawyer in private practice since June 1993. He is free on a $25,000 bond pending trial.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
MICHAEL HOLAHAN/STAFF
Paul David, a former attorney for Community Mental Health Center, pleaded innocent to corruption charges at his arraignment, held Friday.
