On November 30, the Circuit Court for Cole County, Missouri ruled that Securus Technologieis, Inc., the Missouri Department of Corrections, and the Missouri Office of Administration, Division of Purchasing and Materials Management violated state law involving the contract with the state to provide telephone services in Missouri prisons.
Specifically, the court ruled that while Securus should not have been awarded the contract to provide telephone services in Missouri prisons, once it was awarded the contract these entities effectively engaged in an alleged illegal / unlawful bait and switch scheme.
According to court records, the Mo. DOC wanted to use Securus to gather intelligence on citizens of Missouri who receive calls from offenders in Missouri prisons and in exchange, the Mo. DOC and the DPMM agreed to let Securus increase its per-minute telephone rate from $0.05 to $0.09. However, the court ruled that this is illegal and would not allow it to occur because the contract was awarded to Securus at a $0.05 per-minute telephone rate.
There are questions involving whether citizens in Missouri might be charged illegal fee's of up to $2.99 for using their cellular telephone to receive in-state calls on a pre-paid AdvanceConnect account. According to Securus website, this fee is a "Wireless Administraitve Fee" but it is not authorized by the terms of the contract that Securus operates under with the State of Missouri.
I am seeking individuals who believe they may be a victim of the billing practices by Securus Technologies, Inc., and Securus Correctional Billing Services, Inc., who are willing to come forward and provide testimony and supporting documentary evidence involving their AdvanceConnect pre-paid accounts to receive telephone calls from jails and prisons.
In particular, I am most interested in those who live in Missouri. You may contact me by email at (Put "Securus" in the email subject line). Additionally, I am very interested in those with a pre-paid AdvanceConnect account who receive telephone calls from a jail or prison on a cellular telephone.
I recently filed form 3949A with the federal Internal Revenue Service for alleged tax fraud and alleged racketeering against Securus Technologies, Inc. I also filed a formal complaint with the Missouri Attorney General's Office, which is currently investigating the billing practices of Securus Technologies, Inc.
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