Steve;

Let me have your reaction to this. I intend to shoot it off Monday AM. Call me on Sunday at noon your time. I need a wake-up call anyway because I've got an un-Godly early flight.

ATB

Bob

August 13, 2001

The Salvation Army Correctional Services
Pinellas County, North County Office
300 North Fort Harrison Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33755

Attention: Connie T. Dugan, Program Administrator

Dear Sir or Madam:

I have received a copy of a letter dated July 5, signed by Connie T. Dugan, Program Administrator. There are obviously misunderstandings on Ms. Dugan's part.

1. On the first day that I walked into the Salvation Army Correctional Services (SACS) and met with Donna Muniz, my probation supervisor, I informed her (after having watched the SACS probation video and read the general terms of probation) that I owned several firearms that were kept at my home in New Hampshire. I described the firearms. Ms. Muniz indicated to me that this was "no problem" with regard to the general probation condition of "you will neither carry nor own weapons without first securing the consent of the probation supervisor," since the infraction for which I was on probation did not involve firearms and the firearms were over 1,500 miles away from Florida.

2. I considered at that time, and still do, that I had secured the permission of my probation supervisor for an exemption to Condition No. 4 of my probation. Not only was Connie Dugan informed of this, but also Sharon Young, who apparently, without any notice to me, is my new probation supervisor, as I was told by Connie Dugan that Donna Muniz no longer works at SACS. Moreover, Ms. Dugan told me that Donna Muniz had made no notation in the file concerning the firearms issue. I suggested to Ms. Dugan that it would be simple enough to have Donna Muniz subpoenaed to give testimony concerning my initial conversation with her concerning the firearms issue. Ms. Dugan's response was that she was just doing her job, as Ms. Muniz does not work there any more.

3. On June 26, Connie Dugan informed me through Sharon Young that I was required to register my firearms in New Hampshire with the chief of police in Sandown, my hometown. I called Connie Dugan directly and informed her that there was no provision in the state of New Hampshire for the registration of firearms unless one is applying for a license to carry a concealed weapon. Ms. Dugan subsequently informed me that I was now required to register my firearms with SACS.

4. In response to Ms. Dugan's demand on June 26, which amounts to changing the terms of my probation, I told her that I no longer owned the firearms and had transferred ownership of them to Stacy S. Brooks. Therefore, I "neither carry nor own weapons," and consequently I am under no further obligation to provide anything concerning previous firearms ownership to SACS.

5. Ms. Dugan states in her letter that she has seen statements that I allegedly made on the Internet concerning my conversation with Ms. Dugan. Ms. Dugan's letter makes no mention of my having informed her that I no longer own the firearms in question and is an obvious attempt to obfuscate the reality, i.e., that I no longer own any firearms and that, despite my having transferred ownership to a third party, Ms. Dugan continues to attempt, without the required court intervention, to change the terms of my probation.

6. My attorney Bruce Howie, of Piper, Ludin, Howie and Werner, P.A., has tried to deal with this matter by attempting to have the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit mediate in this matter. The result of that attempt, culminating today is unsatisfactory to me and I am instructing my attorney NOT to submit any list of weapons that I owned prior to June 26, 2001, that being the date I informed Connie Dugan I do not own any weapons, to SACS.

7. Therefore, to repeat what I said in item 4. above, since I "neither carry nor own weapons," I am under no obligation to provide anything concerning previous firearms ownership to SACS. Further, I no longer have any need to seek permission from the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit to reacquire firearms owned prior to June 26, 2001.

I trust that my position is clear enough on this matter that SACS can act intelligently despite how much pressure is brought to bear on your office by the Scientology misfits.

Sincerely,

Robert S. Minton

RSM/bk

cc: Bruce Howie
bcc's: various