Paige Bayne, Aiken County Code Enforcement review: Corruption/bribe laundering and other crimes

Paige Bayne of Aiken County Code Enforcement attempted to commit Bribe Laundering against me, has refused to enforce County Codes, and sells under the table Zoning Variances, all as side hustles.

Specifics:

A. Bribe Laundering

1. 12/23/17 Her office gave me a "CC 15-22" citation to clear underbrush/weeds in my backyard (a forest). I was given 30 days to clear it or appear in court. I did EXACTLY what the first officer said, but when he came back with Bayne and two other code enforcers, Mdennis and Bwiemer, to check (all in riot gear), suddenly Bayne expanded the scope of the work and threatened to send out a county chain gang and put a lien on my home for the bill. (I'm 75 and was recovering from recent heart problems.) Having a reverse mortgage, that would be immediate foreclosure.

2. I explained I had no money, had been ill and it was freezing (25 degrees), was in tears, but I decided to scramble and do as much as I could. Over the next 2 weeks I emailed them at least a dozen times asking specifics, what to cut, where, etc., and they refused to answer ANY of my emails (sign #1). That silence/dereliction took up my allowed 30 days. I went to Court and got a 60-day Continuance.

3. She did email me (sent you copy) suggesting that she meet privately with my landscaper, leaving me out of the loop. After all, I'm old and wouldn't understand what she said. She didn't want to waste her time on me. (I'm just the homeowner/target.) (Sign #2)

4. I applied to United Way for free yardwork help, and they agreed, but when they met with her, again she went away from me, to the top of the hill, and privately expanded AGAIN for the 3rd time (Sign #3), the scope of the job to almost the entire 1/3 acre lot/forest, knowing it was more than they could do without a bulldozer. (I'd provided the Court county satellite photos proving my yard was the same as others, a forest, but they weren't admitted as evidence.) I soon got a letter from United Way backing out of helping me, explaining Bayne's demands were constantly escalating, unreasonable and impossible. AND YOU CAN'T GET A BRIBE OUT OF A NONPROFIT! (Sign #4). When we walked back to her truck, she threatened to add my "faulty" leach field next (it's fine, was just inspected, sign #5). She sadistically applied more severe pressure. Part of the game.

5. I went to work and did all of the area myself. I broke 2 chainsaws. It cost me another heart attack, severe, almost fatal internal/diverticular bleeding, and 2 dislocated shoulders, four ER hospitalizations & ambulance bills, and many thousands of dollars in medical costs. The damage to my mental health was incalculable. But the 2 enforcers came out (without Bayne) the last day and cleared the ticket, one day after I told their director I’d complained to SLED.

During this entire period, I tried emailing every level above Bayne many times, asking for help, reporting my suspicions, but NO ONE in the County Govt. would ever answer my emails.

Here's what I remember about how Bribe Laundering works. You might never have encountered it before. (I worked for 4 PDs in California many years' ago & it was more common then.)

Bribe Laundering was integral to mob operations. It consists of a corrupt official targeting a desperate homeowner, business owner, tax debtor, etc., threatening them with jail, loss of property, etc. and getting them to the point where they will agree to anything. Then the official suggests they get together PRIVATELY with the target's contractor (in my case, a landscaper) and "discuss" what has to be done. The target must be kept out of the loop. The contractor wants the work, so they agree to pad the bill with a bribe for the official. The work gets done, the target is happy to be in the clear, and best of all, and why this crime goes on so long, the target didn't know a bribe had been paid and therefore didn't complain or report it to anyone. So on the surface, no one ever knows. However it ends up, the official is in the clear. Before I did the work myself, I'd tried to get estimates from a few contractors, but several told me they wouldn't do county citations anymore because they'd had this same experience with her (she'd refuse to clear the ticket if they didn't "cooperate," so the target would be angry and blame/sue the contractor).

I have kept all emails and correspondence, dates, logs for this entire period. I want this woman looked into. Aiken County government has totally failed me. This crooked official took 90% of whatever remaining time I had left to to live, according to my doctor. The heart damage alone from the physical labor, trying to keep my home, was deadly. My mental health is permanently damaged. She deserves a thorough investigation, and I deserve some justice.

Please take your time. I'm not pressuring you. I am just asking to be taken seriously. I worked full-time 45 years for this tiny cottage and almost lost it because of her.

B. A neighbor also runs a loud, filthy landscaping business across the street and told me she got a "special" variance from her.

C, I also ended up tied up in court for 2 years because I complained in a google about an uglyHVAC billboard in front of my home, ALL because Bayne refused to enforce County Code 4.4.5, which made them illegal.

(NOTE: This whole nightmare was orchestrated by a female ACSO Sgt. Mary Frantz after I reported my crazy elderly next-door neighbor building a huge device, hole, trenches, etc. clearly intended to blow-up a VW-size stump next to my home & on top of the gas line. )