Media/News Releases
Good Samaritan Mission Founder Sentenced to One Year in Prison
Albert Salmon, Jr. pleads guilty to filing false information with the Secretary of State's Office1/15/2009
Columbia – Secretary of State Mark Hammond was in Moncks Corner, SC today to witness the sentencing of Albert Salmon, Jr., founder of Good Samaritan Mission, which was intended to assist the poor and homeless. Salmon was convicted by a Charleston County jury for failing to report more than $465,000 in income from tax years 1999-2002. He also pled to four counts of providing false information to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Salmon was sentenced to one year in prison; four years probation after serving his sentence; and ordered to perform 500 hours of community service. He must also pay fines totaling approximately $27,000, which was the cost of investigating and prosecuting him.
“The duty of the Secretary of State’s Office is to protect the charitable donors of South Carolina,” said Secretary of State Mark Hammond. “Charitable donors rely on the financial information filed in the Secretary of State’s Office to make wise giving decisions. Information provided by the charities must be accurate or they are in violation of the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, and will be held accountable.” Truthful, reliable information provided by the charitable organization and made available to the public by the Secretary of State’s Office is critical in allowing donors to make informed decisions about which charitable organizations will benefit from their generosity.
Salmon has been described as a “slum lord” who rented substandard mini-“apartments” to the poor for $70 to $110 per week. One North Charleston inspector found dozens of homeless men living in partitioned trailers, a garage, as well as an outdoor storage shed.
South Carolinians are encouraged to go to www.scsos.com/Search%20Charities to research charitable organizations that are registered with the Secretary of State’s Office.
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