He said it turned out not to be his jurisdiction and gave me to Julie Womsley to make sure Gary was at New River.

Gary's Address:  New River Correctional
                          P.O. Box 333
                          Raiford, FL 32083
I was told to put; M1-127S in the lower left hand corner.

Julia Womsley (Ext 504) forwarded me. I was switched several times through someone named Sherry Cosin (sp) (Ext 504) Karen Tucker or her office 850-488-1035. Eventually I was switched to Bob Porter's office, Interstate Contact (850-487-0558) and finally I spoke with Patty Sims.

Somewhere along the transferring of calls from one prison to another, someone called me Gary's mother. I let it go. At another point I was asked, "You're his mother?" I made an agreeable muffled sound and they addressed me as Gary's mom from then on and I didn't correct them because Ms Sims was telling me about Gary's bad attitude and she said they had counseled Gary that prisoner's have little rights and he did not have the right to use the computer nor to tell these stories. She then said that Gary exaggerates. I said I knew better.

She said his actions were inappropriate, and that as his mom, I needed to tell him to be quiet and just do the time. I said he had never seen these things in federal and she said some federal prisons were worse. I said not the one he was in.

I asked her, as a mother how would you feel with your son in such a position and who would you contact to get him moved back to federal. She said I could call Tallahassee or the place he came from, but that she didn't think anything could be done.

I said terrible things went on there at the complex and Gary's not the only one who says so. She said she had seen the website that Gary built. I said he did not do that site. She said, "Well he knew it was being build." I said no ma'am, he did not. Again she insisted, "yes he knew." I said, I was with the lady when she built it and Gary Waid did not know it was being built." She implied that Gary was a liar.

Then I might have gotten myself in trouble because my blood was boiling as if he were my son...and I blurted out, "As Gary's mother I can assure you Gary has never been know as a liar." That's when Ms Sims said, I've seen the website and he's dangerously close to being threatening."

Sims stated that Gary is at New River and could be put in protective custody for his own protection. I said, my gosh, that's just the hole. That's where these things happen. She said, "No body's going to kill him." She hesitated and repeated, "No one is going to kill him."

I said, ma'am, we aren't worried so much about him being killed, we are worried about him being beaten." She said, "there's too much attention. Nothing's going to happen to him with all this attention." I told her that is the problem...when we stop putting the pressure on, then can I be guaranteed of his safety. She said he was causing trouble for himself.

I said something about the terrible conditions in prison. Sims said, after hedging about nothing being wrong, "I've worked for the prisons for a long time and I have seen lots of things I could have lived the rest of my life without knowing about."

A man's voice in the background mumbling at first, could then be clearly heard saying, "Just hang up on her." Ms Sims did not, but did bring the conversation to a quick close.

In parting Ms Sims stated, "As his mother, the best thing you can do is emphasize to Gary that he needs to stop, because if he keeps on, it will make it worse for him." She reiterated and accented this theme.

"He needs to know what his place is - he's a prisoner and he needs to stop doing this. He doesn't need to stir up anything more at this time."

I got a knot in my stomach later when I realized I had just lied on a probably recorded conversation. I called Ms Waid and told her what I had done, and she said honey that's okay.

But, I'm sure its not. Not with the prison. It's just that I get so darn involved in my prisoners that I feel like everybody's mom or grandma. And I was so furious because as a medical user of cannabis, I've been automatically labeled a liar too, just like the prisoners, just like Gary Waid, just like many people trying to share a politically incorrect truth.    Kay Lee
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Ms Patty Sims claimed to be in charge of the '27 federal prisoners left in Florida' and gave me the following information on the deal:

Inter-Government Agreement #589-b.

Mr. Craig Unger in Washington D.C. trading for the Feds, and Governor Chiles dealing for the Florida Bureau of Prisons.
Trading started July 98.

Copy of action can be obtained by writing:
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Attn: Procurement and Property Branch
Headquarters: 320 1st Street NW, Room 5006
Washington, D.C. 20534
202-307-2068

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