Franklin County's Calling... (Trapp & Pilati)

It's fair to state that Franklin County always has the most, shall we say, interesting political and crime news in the area. Two stories originating from that fair county yesterday just beg for a comment.

The name Howard Ray Trapp is not unknown to the citizens of Franklin. In 1985, the senior Howard Ray testified at the trial of Russellville Police Chief "Buckshot" Saint. Trapp admitted to being a well-known bootlegger who served as a driver for Bobby Dawson for two years. Saint's defense attorney: Roger Bedord, now state senator.

Now, Howard Trapp Jr. is again in the news. In 2005, the 28 year-old and his 55 year-old girlfriend were arrested for burglary in a series of post office break-ins. Trapp was charged with theft from post office boxes in Athens, Haleyville, Red Bay, and Bear Creek. At that time, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett stated Trapp had already served time in state and Federal prisons.

By June 2010, the younger Trapp was living in Phil Campbell when he was arrested for drug possession and forgery. Last December, Trapp made front page news when he and his current wife attempted to run down a home owner who had returned and found the pair in the act of breaking and entering.

While in jail on that charge, Trapp has stabbed himself twice and cost the taxpayers over $50,000.00. Franklin County has now turned Howard Ray Trapp Jr. over to Federal Marshals. Apparently Trapp was on Federal probation related to the post office break-ins. We're sure the people of Franklin County wish the Feds had kept him.

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Is John Pilati a sex offender? The judge who presided at his trial on civil rights violations required that the former Franklin County District Attorney register as a sex offender upon his release from Federal prison. Was the judge acting within the law? That would be beyond our scope of knowledge to answer, but an appeals court has ruled that part of Pilati's sentence must stand.

Pilati claims he was merely attempting to insure those young men providing urine samples (some at Pilati's private residence) did not pull a switcheroo. If any readers are unfamiliar with the protocol of such tests, the proper way to determine that fact is by immediate temperature testing. Sorry, John, your story just sounds totally lame for a man of your intelligence.

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If you're on Facebook and have not yet friended the wonderful Whippoorwill Hollow Films, please do so now. The Sheffield based film company is shooting for 1K likes--it shouldn't be hard considering all Steve and Sheri Wiggins have done for their home town: Link



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