Have U.S. Marshals in Texas Broken the Law?

INTERNET ENTREPRENEUR’S ACQUAINTANCES, FAMILY INTIMIDATED MULTIPLE TIMES

by Sharon Rondeau

(Mar. 26, 2012) — Since last fall, The Post & Email has been following the story of Jeffrey Baron, who launched a successful domain-name registrar company in the early days of the internet, building it to a multi-million-dollar enterprise with employees, a health plan, and multiple companies with offshoots.  Baron is now reduced to the existence of a pauper because of a series of lawsuits, legal motions, and questionably criminal actions on the part of two federal judges in the Northern District of Texas.

The Post & Email has contacted the U.S. Department of Justice Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office twice by regular mail and email to voice its concerns about bankruptcy fraud as it pertains to the selling of all of Baron’s assets and what has been described as the unnecessary bankruptcy of his once-successful company overseen by Atty. Daniel Sherman.  as well as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on two occasions but received no response.

The $60,000,000 trust fund established by Baron as a result of his business success to pursue research in the area of juvenile diabetes has been liquidated at two cents on the dollar by the bankruptcy attorney and receiver appointed over Baron, Atty. Peter Vogel.

A friend of Baron’s recently reported intimidation by U.S. Marshals who reportedly appeared unannounced and “intimidated an employee,” asking him personal questions about his employer, showing a photo of Jeff Baron, and insinuating that Baron had made a death threat against a federal judge.  It is part of the U.S. Marshals’ charter to “ensure the safe and secure conduct of judicial proceedings,” and the Marshals are described as the “enforcement arm of the federal courts.”

The Marshals claimed that they were looking for information pursuant to “a situation that happened in the courthouse.”  They would not allow John Margetis, one of the victims, to copy their badges.  Margetis demanded their names and then told them why he believed they were sent to his home.  Margetis told the Marshals, “I don’t believe that there was any threat made against a federal judge…Federals judges don’t resign…they got caught red-handed trying to retaliate against me.  I want her indicted; I want her thrown off the bench…Judge Furgeson…stole $100,000,000 from Jeff Baron…” (listen to audio clip).

Margetis had reported the intimidation to The Post & Email, after which we contacted the U.S. Attorney for the second time as well as his congressman, Kenny Marchant, whose media representative never responded.

It has been reported to The Post & Email that the U.S. Marshals, or those impersonating them, have intimidated Baron’s acquaintance and his brother as well as Baron’s parents between 15 and 20 times, beginning last December.  They reportedly asked if they “knew of anybody who has made a threat against a federal judge,” and then asked if they knew Jeff Baron.  “They were trying to get people to make statements,” said an observer.  “They’re on a fishing expedition.”

Interrogation does not appear to be one of the U.S. Marshals’ duties.

Baron has not been charged with any crime, nor has he ever been accused of threatening a judge in the scores of judicial proceedings which took place after his business partner sued him unsuccessfully after misrepresenting himself to Baron.  He has maintained that all of the attorneys he retained were paid in full, which contradicts the judges’ claims and justification for placing Baron’s business, personal effects, assets and physical person into receivership.

Baron’s appeal attorney, Gary Schepps, has appealed the case to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, stating, “Fraud vitiates everything it touches,” quoting from the 1944 case, White v. Union Producing Co.

At least two citizens have written letters of complaint to the U.S. Marshals’ Service, including Baron’s father and a citizen journalist with media credentials in the Washington, DC area.  The Post & Email placed a call to the “Investigating Officer” at the Northern District of Texas Field Office today which was not returned.

George McDermott, a journalist in the metropolitan DC area, also sent a letter of complaint to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in regard to Baron’s case.

One of those intimidated by the Marshals is contemplating legal action against them and based on the marshals’ behavior, “concluded that his phone had been monitored.”  The last time the Marshals or those impersonating them appeared to intimidate those associated with Baron or his relative was reportedly Saturday, March 17, 2012.

One of the federal judges involved in Baron’s case, Judge Royal Furgeson, has announced his resignation from the bench to become dean of a university next year.  The other judge, Judge Stacey J.C. Jernigan, continues to allow the liquidation of all of Baron’s assets, including the termination of his medical insurance paid for by Ondova, the company which was forced into bankruptcy.  Baron has serious medical issues and is currently unable to buy anything not authorized by the receiver, Peter Vogel, at Jernigan’s order.

Jernigan has reportedly taken action against “fraud” involving home foreclosures which result from bankruptcy cases, over which she presides.  According to court documents, Judge Furgeson threatened Baron’s life on the record.

Others have stated that both Jernigan and Furgeson are corrupt in regard to the liquidation of Baron’s considerable hard-earned wealth.  Jernigan reportedly has a “passion for the practice of bankruptcy law.”

Baron is prohibited from retaining an attorney to defend himself against the pillaging of his assets.  The Post & Email has been told that Sherman and Vogel have been working together to pay themselves millions at Baron’s expense and that Ondova funds are almost completely depleted.  Baron has been carried by COBRA insurance for the last 17 months and may be without insurance soon as a result.  His medical bills have been as high as $20,000 in a single month due to his heart condition and severe diabetes.