Goss now in prison in Florida

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Goss now in prison in Florida

Posted by

Zach Mitcham

in News

Saturday, April 21. 2012

Comments (17)

Mark Goss is now in prison in Florida.

The Madison County man who swindled local senior citizens out of their fortunes and was sentenced March 5 to 12 years behind bars turned himself into authorities this past week — after over a month free following his sentencing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons website, Goss, 47, is being held at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) - Low in Coleman. It’s described as “a low security facility housing male inmates” and it’s located in central Florida approximately 50 miles northwest of Orlando, 60 miles northeast of Tampa.

Goss was sentenced to 144 months in prison. According to the Bureau of Prison’s website, Goss’ release date is Sept. 28, 2022.

In all, Goss’ victims included 41 individuals and 10 businesses. According to documents from the United District Court for the Middle District of Georgia Athens Division, Goss collected $1,929,314 from investors. The amount of restitution owed is $1,144,781.

Judge Ashley Royal imposed a harsher jail term than typically allowed under sentencing guidelines.

Goss pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud for sending investors bogus financial documents through the U.S. Postal Service. The recommended sentencing guidelines for Goss’ crimes were 63 to 78 months incarceration. Royal said he rarely ever strays from the sentencing guidelines, but added that Goss preyed on the elderly and used local churches to facilitate his scam. He said Goss’ crimes warranted a stiffer penalty than the government recommends.

“There was a very elaborate coverup in play and this went on and on and on and many people were taken in,” said Judge Royal. “… I’ve been on the bench 10 years and I’ve never had as many victims as I’ve had today … I don’t remember one (a crime) that targets elderly people like this or in which the scheme or scam was presented in a church.”

Royal read from a number of victims’ statements prior to sentencing Goss, noting that the Madison County resident had even cheated his late mother’s best friend out of money. Goss’ victims included an 86-year-old WWII veteran who lost $280,000, a couple that had saved money to build a handicapped accessible home for their disabled daughters and an elderly woman who lost all of her money to Goss, then put her home into a reverse mortgage arrangement to cover the expenses of her own declining health. Her daughter told the judge that her mother died upset with the knowledge that she had nothing to leave for her children.

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#1 smackdad6 on 04/21/12 at 03:18 PM [Reply]

I guess we really can believe in the Justice system. Great to see a con man like this actually get adequate time for his scams. All too often seems people walk or get a little smack on the back of the hand for their actions. Kudos to the judge who had the nuggets to actually make the sentence fit the crime. Only other thing better would have been to let the families of the victims have a little "one on one" with this pond scum before he went to the big house for 12 years. Feel a bit sorry for his family, but not too much. They had to know this was going on and was wrong. Enjoy your stay, still wondering how those old folks will survive without the benefits of a lifes work of saving. Shame!!!

#2 Mr.Resident Redneck on 04/22/12 at 01:08 AM [Reply]

So they sent him to Florida? When his Lawyer ask that he be confined somewhere close to here I figured they would send him to Jackson County or maybe Atlanta? BUT I'm glad whoever decided where he would be sent had as much heart and compassion for him as he did for all the people he scamed? The only thing that would have been better is if they would have sent him to Texas to serve his time? I hear their prisons are alot harder than ours are here in GA?
And what's going to happen to the people who were working for him? I know of at least 3 people that worked for him. Are they looking for new jobs. I guess we can add them to Obamas unemployment list.

#3 Not blinded by Mark on 04/24/12 at 06:45 AM [Reply]

Mark is such a disappointment to and misrepresentation of The Church and fellow Christians. He was a wolf amongst the sheep. Feel sorry for his family for they also are victims of his lies and bad choices. Glad he no longer has the ability to negatively influence them further.

#3.1 Mr.Resident Redneck on 04/24/12 at 03:05 PM [Reply]

Not blinded by Mark- While I agree with your post I can't help but wonder if he was bringing in the kind of money they say his family had to know something was going on? UNLESS they thought he was a drug dealer bringing in that kind of money? BUT that will send you to prison too? Anywhere BUT Madison Co. here you only get probation unless you are a repeat offender?

#3.2 Not blinded by Mark on 04/25/12 at 09:10 AM [Reply]

You should feel like part of a church family when you attend church, not taken advantage of. How could he live with himself knowing he took advantage of the elderly? Speaks volumes for his character. He plead guilty to the charges, and apologized to the victims, but kept telling others he was innocent. How can you repeat a wrong act 51 times and claim you are innocent? Pyschopath, maybe? Florida can keep him, no use for him here.

#3.2.1 Mr.Resident Redneck on 04/26/12 at 02:43 AM [Reply]

Not blinded by Mark- I agree if it was 1 or 2 people you could say you didn't realize it and say you are sorry and some people may believe you BUT 51 times he knew he was doing wrong?

#3.3 ABC123 on 04/27/12 at 05:47 PM [Reply]

I know they say this happen 10 years ago so how could his family know if they have only been married less than 10? What a SAD situation for all involved. I guess the government is getting all that $700K back from Philip Tyson too?

#4 His brother on 09/17/12 at 12:59 AM [Reply]

If y'all only knew the whole story. The entire truth is never told in court. Here's a quote you all need to remember. "You tell me I'm a sinner,You say I'm bound for Hell. When Your judgement condemns you,I shall see you all there!"

#4.1 Resident Redneck on 09/17/12 at 07:50 PM [Reply]

His brother- I was never scamed by Mark every time he came to my house to talk to me about my Medicare he was always nice and polite AND he never ask me for a dime? He seemed to be a nice guy. Since you are throwing out quotes I have one for you "Everyone shall stand in Judgement for the sins they have committed" AND God commanded us to "Obey the laws of the land" AND ain't this type of SCAM against the law? I am not passing Judgement on him GOD WILL DO THAT.

#4.2 Virginia Moss on 09/18/12 at 12:25 AM [Reply]

So, then, what's the whole story? All is said and done now so you are free to elaborate. Please fill us in.

#4.3 Allen on 09/18/12 at 03:12 AM [Reply]

"His brother," are you going to step up to the plate and help pay back restitution to your brother's victims?

#4.4 Anonymous on 09/23/12 at 10:53 AM [Reply]

So does your little diddy make him any less a crook or the victims any less victimized?

#5 Resident Redneck on 09/24/12 at 09:19 PM [Reply]

To EVERYONE WHO CARES- What Mark Goss did was a crime and he should have to pay for his actions? The way I see it he got off EASY because I would have give him at least 20 years.

#6 smackdad6 on 09/24/12 at 09:50 PM [Reply]

The whole story is that this man was also charged with several felonies in Madison County, which he somehow got off on. Check the records for yourself...too disturbing to list on this post. In the end, you reap what you sow my brother. Like it or not, justice was served.

#6.1 Resident Redneck on 09/27/12 at 12:16 PM [Reply]

smackdad6- I agree BUT some people think as long as he didn't kill nobody he shouldn't have got no time in prison? BUT to these people who think the sentence was to harsh. Leta flip it and say these same crimes were comitted against them OR their elderly parents? They would be asking for life OR the death penalty?
It's easy to sit back and say a sentence is to harsh when it don't involve you? Next time put yourself in these victims place?

#6.2 Few know the real story on 04/04/13 at 06:13 PM [Reply]

smackdad6-he didn't "somehow get off". He was proven innocent and his cousin who made the false allegations was proven to have been untruthful. She had made the false statements after she had gotten into a fight with her mother and asked to move in with Mark, which he told her no. Good ol' Buck Scoggins was friends with her mother so he did a poor job of investigating and drug Mark and his family through it until the truth was heard in court. But I don't guess you were in that court room or else you would have known.
The truth about this case was they threatened to come after his family if he didn't take a plea. Scare tactics. Sad to say, he didn't steal the money, and now all the clients who screamed for blood now realize that and realize that the true thief is living the life in another country. But of course, you might not have known that either just made accusations and hid behind a computer screen making comments. We all believe in the law until we have been taken advantage by it. Those who live in a secluded world may feel they have the right to throw stones and make judgements; however, it is amazing to see that no one is interested in the truth just juicy gossip. Mark handed over all the bank records to show where all the money went and that he did not "steal" from these people. He went to prison on the count of mail fraud because he was writing the clients letters asking for their help and even naming FBI, GBI and postal inspector names and numbers for them to get involved because his efforts were going unnoticed. All others "statute of limitations" had ran out because they didn't have contact with the clients but because Mark was writing these letters that is why it left his open. SO, before you continue making such ridiculous remarks maybe a bit of the truth will shed light on all those calling for blood.

#6.2.1 Resident Redneck on 04/05/13 at 09:50 AM [Reply]

Few know the real story- I agree NOBODY wants to spread the truth ONLY juicy gossip AND the juicer the better. Like I have said before I knew Mark he was my Medicare Rep. and I never had no problems with him. He was always nice and kind and he never ask me for a dime,

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