Originally Posted - July 21, 2006

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TAMPA---A former Hillsborough County deputy sheriff has been sentenced to eight years in prison for making false statements to federal agents.

Charles D. Maye, 51, allegedly assisted Leroy Collns, 80, of Ruskin, Fla. In obtaining information from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database on numerous occasions to further Collins' extortion of a former paramour, Linda Bobo.

Collins has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The pair was found guilty by a jury on April 7 of conspiracy and substantive offenses involving unlawfully obtaining information from a federal computer database for the purpose of committing extortion and making false statements to federal agents.

Prosecutors said Maye provided information to Collins that he unlawfully obtained from the NCIC database regarding James McLemore, Bobo's new boyfriend. McLemore was subsequently shot and wounded, then, after Bobo refused to end her relationship with McLemore. Collins allegedly caused McLemore to be murdered on Sept. 8, 1996 in Bradenton, Florida.

Maye unlawfully obtained restricted NCIC information on Bobo for Collins, and while on official duty in a marked patrol unit, conducted traffic stops on Bobo to further Collins' extortionate conduct towards Bobo.

After the murder, when Bobo refused to tell Collins where she was living, CollinsNS caused Bobo to be assaulted by having a caustic substance, similar to drain cleaner, thrown in her face, blinding her.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) with the assistance of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Tampa Police Department and the Palmetto Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Downing. 7-21-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette