Three accused of scheme to establish Nuwaubian base

Associated Press/October 3, 2003

Decatur, GA -- Three men have been accused of using a DeKalb County real estate scheme to re-establish a base for the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors sect in middle Georgia.

Police said the men created phony certified checks to try to buy two homes in a subdivision north of Stone Mountain, and one filed a lien against the U.S. Postal Service for $283.9 million.

Their goal, police said, was to raise money to buy land in Bibb County for the Nuwaubians, who lived on a 476-acre compound in Putnam County before their leader was jailed on federal and state child molestation charges last year.

Charged with criminal attempt were Robert C. Dukes, 52, of south Fulton County, and Darius Sampson, 40, and William Carroll, 48, both of Stone Mountain. Carroll was also charged with identity fraud.

Dwight Malachi York, 58, the sects leader, pleaded guilty on Jan. 23 to 74 state counts of child molestation and other related charges. He pleaded guilty in an agreement with prosecutors to a single count of transporting children across state lines for sexual purposes in return for a recommendation he serve 15 years in prison.

On June 25, U.S. District Court Judge Hugh Lawson rejected the plea bargain, saying 15 years in prison would be too lenient. He told attorneys he would agree to a 20-year prison sentence, which prompted the defenses motion for Lawson to recuse himself.

Lawson did and the case must now go to trial.