Bribery Alleged on Parolees’ Work Claims

A program director for a Pasadena nonprofit service organization has been charged with taking bribes from a federal prison parolee to falsify community service time sheets.

Bobby Carter, 67, of Alta Loma is charged with two counts of making false statements to federal officials and faces up to five years in prison for each offense.

He is alleged to have submitted false time sheets to the federal court system certifying that community service work requirements had been satisfied at the Grandview Foundation, a Pasadena drug rehabilitation facility for men.

Carter appeared in Los Angeles federal court Tuesday but did not enter a plea. A federal magistrate ordered him released on $20,000 bond.

Officials at the Grandview Foundation, located in the 200 block of Grand View Street, declined to comment Tuesday.

FBI Special Agent Matt McLaughlin said Carter was arrested by agents from the local public corruption squad Monday afternoon after a 2 1/2-month investigation into allegations that he offered to sign for phantom community service in return for money.

McLaughlin said the agency is still conducting an investigation into Carter’s oversight of federal and state parolees; more charges could be forthcoming.

Prosecutors allege that in April, Carter told a parolee who was sentenced to 3,000 hours of community service for felony possession of child pornography that he did not have to do the work if he was willing to pay the program director.

Authorities allege that Carter told parolee Claude Chabana he could pay him $2 an hour--$6,000--to avoid the community service. Carter, officials say, even allegedly offered to let Chabana pay him monthly. Chabana immediately notified the U.S. attorney’s office, McLaughlin said.

FBI agents conducted a sting operation with Chabana’s cooperation. The parolee made two payments totaling $576 to Carter for 288 hours he never worked, McLaughlin said.