3-15-10  

Dear Editor,    

I have two questions:

1. Do you get paid for running the Crime Stoppers posters on your Website?

2. Do you collect a reward if you aid in the capture of a wanted fugitive?

Thanks,

Regina Stevens

New York, New York

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Dear Regina,

1. Crime Stoppers of Madison County, Inc. (CSMC) is a separate entity from the well known Big Bend Crime Stoppers. Investigator Tina Demotsis of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office formed this to bring locally wanted fugitives to our attention more efficiently. CSMC operates on a small budget that has to last a long time. I received no money for creating the CSMC logo. I receive no money for posting the wanted posters on my site, including the link-ad on the right side of the page. This is a free service that I provide. I think that taking money from CSMC would be a pointless, greedy act and would diminish my credibility as a news source. I want Madison to be safe place to live and I have no intentions of feeding off of CSMC for my personal, financial gain. Marking a fugitive as “CAPTURED” is better than money in my eyes.

2. I do all I can to aid in the capture of wanted fugitives in Madison. If I was eligible for a reward, I would donate it back to (CSMC). They need it more than I do. If I’m not whole-heartedly part of the solution, then I’m part of the problem. CSMC is working and I won’t throw a wrench in the gears.

John Ovenden

MadisonVoice.com